Asian Plant Research Journal

The influence of elicitors (different types viz., T₁= control, T₂= salicylic acid 50 ppm, T₃= gibberellic acid 100 ppm, T₄= pinching and seed rate (different levels viz., R₁= 8 kg ha^-1, R₂= 10 kg ha^-1, R₃= 12 kg ha^-1) on enhancing growth and seed yield of black cumin was investigated at Horticulture Farm, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during November 2020 to March 2021. Growth related data was maximum on T₄ (pinching) treatment but in case of seed yield, T₂ (salicylic acid 50 ppm) treatment showed the best result. In case of growth characters, R₁ (8 kg ha^-1 seed rate) treatment revealed the best result but in case of seed yield, R₃ (12 kg ha^-1 seed rate) treatment showed the best result. Under this investigation, it was revealed that the highest seed yield per hector (3.89 t) was found from the of T₂R₃ (salicylic acid 50 ppm and 12 kg/ha seed rate) treatment combination which is statistically similar (3.64 t) to T₄R₃ (pinching and 12 kg/ha seed rate) treatment combination compared (1.61 t) to T₁R₁ (control and 8 kg/ha seed rate) treatment combination.  The highest gross return (Tk. 1166520), net return (Tk. 832522) were obtained from the treatment combination T₂R₃ (salicylic acid 50 ppm and 12 kg/ha seed rate) where the lowest gross return (Tk. 485010), net return (Tk. 220500) were obtained from T₁R₁ (control and 8 kg/ha seed rate) treatment combination. The highest BCR (3.57) was obtain from the treatment combination T₄R₃ (pinching and 12 kg/ha seed rate) where the lowest BCR (1.83) was found from T₁R₁ (control and 8 kg/ha seed rate) treatment combination. Economic analysis revealed that the treatment combination T₄R₃ (pinching and 12 kg/ha seed rate) was economically profitable than T₂R₃ (salicylic acid 50 ppm and 12 kg/ha seed rate) treatment combination for black cumin cultivation.