Phenology of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) under Mediterranean climate.
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Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants 9(6): 078-086, June 2021
DOI: 10.15413/ajmp.2021.0110
ISSN: 2315-7720
©2021 Academia Publishing
Research Paper
Phenology of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) under Mediterranean climate.
Accepted 22nd March, 2021
ABSTRACT
Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is a medicinal plant native to Mediterranean and
Western Asia, widely consumed in Asia and the Middle East. The seeds are product
of interest and are consumed in different foods and diverse preparations. Its
medicinal properties make it a plant with great potential in the pharmaceutical
industry. Studies have shown the diverse therapeutical effects of the essential oil
for health including antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory,
analgesic, immunomodulatory, cardiovascular, and many others. Despite its
enormous potential, enough information is not available regarding the
management practices of the crop including its phenology, which refers to the
production of leaves, flowers, and fruits; and the study of the biotic and abiotic
factors affecting such events. The present study aimed to observe the growth and
development of black cumin in order to characterize its phenological stages under
Mediterranean climate. The results showed that under Mediterranean conditions,
the life cycle of the plant lasts 225 days. The vegetative period lasted for 137 days
Laura María Vanessa Gutiérrez-Prieto1*, Saliha and the reproductive period 88 days. The reproductive period comprises floral
Kirici1 bud appearance, flowering, capsule setting, and seed maturation. This study
1Department of Field Crops, Çukurova
produces the first illustration of the phenology of black cumin under
University, Adana, 01380, Turkey. Mediterranean conditions.
Corresponding author. Email: Key words: Medicinal plant, pharmaceutical potential, vegetative period,
lamavagu@gmail.com. Tel: (+57) 3143094054 reproductive period.
INTRODUCTION
Nigella sativa L., otherwise known as black cumin, belongs historical and religious background (Ahmad et al., 2013)
to the Ranunculaceae family and the order Ranales with enormous potential as a medicinal plant whose
(Malhotra, 2004). Black cumin is an annual herb native to demand keeps increasing in the pharmaceutical industry,
Mediterranean and western Asia regions (D’Antuono et al., limited information about its cultivation and production
2002). The dried seeds of this species are the commercial practices is available (Talafih et al., 2007; Shah, 2008).
product used as spices in bread, yogurt, pickles, sauces, and Information regarding the phenology of this plant is not
salads (Hajhashemi et al., 2004). The seeds and its essential available either, this is a subject that may be of particular
oil have been widely used in functional foods, nutraceutical usefulness to manage the crop.
and pharmaceutical products to treat different diseases. Phenology refers to the study of the timing of recurring
Black cumin seed-producing countries are India, Pakistan, biological events in relation to the climate, and the causes
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, of their timing with regard to biotic and abiotic forces, and
Turkey, Iran, and Iraq (Malhotra and Vashishtha, 2008; the interrelation among phases of the same or different
Rajsekhar and Kuldeep, 2011; Haq et al., 2015). Although species (Leith, 1974; Browning et al., 2019). For plants in a
black cumin is seen as a miraculous plant and has a rich native state, the seasonal timing such events can be
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 079
critical to survive and reproduce. For plants in an Weed management was done by hand. The process of
agroecosystem, phenology can be critical for management weed management was cumbersome especially during the
(Soto, 2008). The mere existence of a global phenology data first four months when the crop maintained a short height,
resource would provide almost immediate answers to key thus giving advantage to the weeds to grow up and spread.
questions regarding phenology patterns such as how
similar are phenological patterns in relation to latitude
across continents or how has global phenology patterns Methods
changed over time (Stucky et al., 2018). The knowledge of
phenology is therefore quite important to understand the Five parcels were arranged (Appendix A), each of which in
patterns of the different stages of the life cycle of a given turn were divided into 4 subplots, for a total amount of 20
plant or crop, in that sense, the present study aimed to subplots. Nondestructive measurements were taken on
observe the growth and development of black cumin in field weekly throughout the growing cycle, starting from
order to characterize the phenological stages of the plant germination until harvest. Three plants (3) were randomly
under Mediterranean climate. selected from each subplot to take measurements, for a
total amount of sixty (60) plants from the entire plot.
The parameters measured were:
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant material Plant height (cm): Height of the plant during the different
stages of the growing cycle. The data were grouped
Black cuminseeds belonging to Çameli variety were brought according to the number of primary and secondary leaves
from the Institute of Agricultural Research of Eskişehir and the developmental stage of the plant and then
(Eskişehir-Turkey) and used as vegetal material to averaged.
establish the experiment.
Days to germination: This was the time at which the
Experiment location, climate conditions, and soil germination was observed in one or more plants.
features
The experiment was carried out in the experimental field of Days to germination in 50% of the plants: Time at which
the Field Crops Department of Çukurova University, located 50% of the sample plants emerged.
in Adana city (37° 2´ 2.23" N and 35° 20´ 52.12" E), which is
situated in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean Sea (23
meters above mean sea level). Consequently, the climate is Number of primary leaves: Amount of primary leaves of a
Mediterranean, characterized by mild wet winters and hot plant. The percentage of plants having a given amount of
dry summers (Appendix A). primary leaves was calculated.
Soil analysis was performed one month before
establishing the experiment, on October 2016. The soil was
Clay-Loam soil, with a pH close to neutrality, and low Number of secondary leaves: Amount of leaves generated
content of organic matter (Appendix A). Based on the soil from the primary leaves of a plant. The percentage of plants
analysis and the available recommendations for black having a given amount of secondary leaves was calculated.
cumin, nitrogen and phosphorus applications in granulated
form were done at the same time as the sowing, in amounts
of 1.5 kg/ha and 0.1 kg/ha respectively. Foliar nitrogen Days to floral bud apparance: Time at which the floral
application at a rate of 1.5 mL per liter of water was done bud structure was observed in one or more plants. The
on April 20th, 2017. percentage of plants reaching this stage was calculated.
Establishment of the trial Days To flowering: Time at which the first flower was
observed in one or more plants. The percentage of plants
The seeds were sown on November 8th, 2016, during the reaching this stage was calculated.
winter season. One gram of seed was sown to 0.5 cm of
depth along each 3-metre-long row. The distance between
plants was 0.15 m and distance between rows 0.25 m, the Days to capsule setting: Day at which one or more plants
trial had an area of 168 m2. had their capsules uncovered from petals, pistils or
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 080
Figure 1: Germination of black cumin.
Figure 1. Germination of black cumin.
Table 1: Average height of primary leaves of black cumin.
Number of primary leaves Plant height (cm) Number of primary leaves Plant height (cm)
1 0.5 13 7.56
2 1.50 14 9.17
3 2.05 15 14.00
4 2.54 16 15.10
5 2.61 17 17.50
6 2.98 18 18.00
7 3.43 19 19.26
8 4.00 20 20.02
9 4.41 21 21.73
10 5.00 22 24.75
11 5.97 23 24.30
12 6.50
stamens. The percentage of plants reaching this stage was the plants: The germination of the first plant took place
calculated. nine days after sowing (from now on referred to as DAS)
(Figure 1). Eleven days after sowing fifty percent of the
Days to seed maturation: Day in which the capsules had plants had germinated.
no petals, pistils or stamens in it. The percentage of plants
reaching this stage was calculated. Number of primary leaves: The first true leaf appeared 27
DAS. By day 61, seven leaves had showed up; the eighth and
Days to harvest: Day at which all the plants in the trial ninth leaves appeared during the following seven days; six
have all their capsules ripe. days later tenth leaf showed up; by day 91, the eleventh and
twelfth leaves had appeared; leaf number thirteen showed
Plant final height (cm): This measurement was taken at up 97 DAS; 105 DAS leaves number fourteen, fifteen and
harvest time. sixteen came out; during the following week three more
leaves (17th, 18th, 19th) appeared. Having passed 118 days
after sowing, black cumin plants reached an amount of 23
RESULTS primary leaves, which was the maximum number of
primary leaves. At this point the mean height of 23-leaved
Vegetative period plants was 24.30 cm (Table 1 and Figure 2). After reaching
the maximum number of primary leaves, the plants
Days to germination and days to germination in 50% of continued to grow.
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 081
rimary leaves of black cumin. Left: first true leaf emerging; Middle: Three-leafed plant; Right: Five-leafed plant.
Figure 2: Primary leaves of black cumin. Left: first true leaf emerging; Middle: Three-leaved plant; Right: Five-leaved plant.
Figure 2. Primary leaves of black cumin. Left: first true leaf emerging; Middle: Three-leafed plant; Right: Five-leafed plant.
.
a
Figure 3.Secondary
Figure 3: Secondaryleaves of black
leaves of black cumin
cumin pointed withpointed with orange arrows.
orange arrows.
Number of secondary leaves: When plants had 16 or 17 Reproductive period
primary leaves, secondary leaves started to show up. From
the moment plants reached 15 primary leaves the plant The reproductive cycle comprises the following stages:
began to grow in height more rapidly and the main stem appearance of flower buds, flowering, capsule setting, and
began to thicken. The emergence Figureof3.Secondary
secondaryleaves of black cumin
leaves seedpointed with orange
maturation. arrows
Table .
2 below shows the time at which
shown in Figure 3 was observed at 105 DAS, by 118 DAS each reproductive stage started.
plants had six secondary leaves, the following week (125
DAS) four more secondary leaves appeared 132 DAS, black
cumin plants had 13 secondary leaves. The following week Days to floral bud appareance, days to flowering, days
(138 DAS) the plant reached a total of 16 secondary leaves to capsule setting, days to seed maturation, and days to
The plant architecture happened to change at the time the harvest: The reproductive stage started 138 DAS, when the
plant reached 16 primary leaves, going from a type of first floral bud was observed (Figure 5). In the present
ramification in which all the leaves were arranged all study, the time required for 50% of the plants to reach the
together at the base of the stem, to a structure in which the flower bud appearance was 146 days. The first blooming
nodes were arranged alternately along the main stem, flower was observed 152 DAS (Figure 6) and, 170 DAS
having each node a single primary leave, from which later, a 100% of the plants had one or more flowers. It means that
secondary leaf would sprout (Figure 4). the flowering stage lasted for 18 days. The first capsule
in which the nodes were arranged alternately along the main stem, having each node a single primary
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 082
leave, from which later, a secondary leaf would sprout (Figure 4).
it was observed 189 DASFigure
(Figure 8). The first mature capsule was observed 212 DAS. When all the
4: Change of black cumin architecture Left: plants with 16 or less leaves; Right: plants with
more than 16-17 leaves.
ants in the trial were totally dry with all capsules ripe (Figure 9), the crop was harvested. This happened
Table 2: Reproductive stages of black cumin.
5 DAS (20th June, 2017). Developmental stage Day of appearance (DAS)
Floral bud 138
Flowering 152
Capsule setting 160
Seedmaturation 189
Harvest 225
Figure 5: Floral bud of black cumin.
reaching this stage was detected 160 Figure
DAS. 1765. Floral
DAS, budof
100%black with . capsules ripe (Figure 9), the crop was harvested.
cuminall
of the plants had one or more capsules (Figure 7). The first This happened 225 DAS (20th June, 2017).
capsule with no petals, pistils or stamens in it was observed One result of the observations and the measurements taken
189 DAS (Figure 8). The first mature capsule was observed throughout the entire cycle of black cumin was the
212 DAS. When all the plants in the trial were totally dry illustration of the phenological stages of the plant shown in
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 083
Figure 6: Flowering of black cumin.
Figure 6. Flowering of black cumin.
Figure 7: Capsule setting stage in black cumin.
Figure 7. Capsule setting stage in black cumin
Figure 8: Seed maturation stage in black cumin.
Figure 8. Seed maturation stage in black cumin
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 084
Figure 9. Mature capsule of black cumin
Figure 9: Mature capsule of black cumin.
Figure 10: Scheme of black cumin phenological stages.
Figure 10. blossoming characteristics of different genotypes of black
cumin in response to different sowing times in Gazipur-
Bangladesh. Since the mentioned experiment was
DISCUSSION performed at a Tropical monsoon zone, whose weather
conditions are different from Mediterranean climatic
The data to compare with on the phenology of black cumin conditions, the results are naturally dissimilar.
is not extensive. There are only few studies on this subject, While, in this study the germination of the first plant and
the research carried out by Haq et al. (2015) the most germination of 50% of the plants took nine and 11 days
exhaustive so far. Haq et al. (2015) investigated the after sown respectively, in the study by Haq et al. (2015),
Academia Journal of Medicinal Plants; Gutiérrez-Prieto and Kirici. 085
germination of the first plant and germination of 50% of the the crop management practices. It also constitutes a basis
plant occurred around 8.23 and 11.04 DAS respectively. to observe and compare with how the plant changes its
The results obtained by Ürüşan (2016) and Ertaş (2016) growth and developmental patterns under different
were not as similar to this study, as the time to germination environmental conditions.
was 20.3 and 20 days respectively. These studies were both Given the properties that black cumin seeds and its
carried out in nearby, the Black Sea and were settled on in essential oil possess and the great potential it represents in
May and September respectively. the pharmaceutical industry, further studies on black cumin
By the time the plants of the present study reached 23 phenology under different climates are necessary in order
primary leaves, plants in the study performed by Haq et al. to widen the data available and examine how the different
(2015) had already reached the capsule ripening stage. In climate variables affect the growth and development of this
this study, the reproductive stage started 138 DAS when crop. It is also important to study the effect of different
the very first floral bud appeared. Meanwhile, Haq et al. biotic factors in the phenology of this species.
(2015) observed the flower bud initiation 49 DAS, thus,
under Mediterranean conditions the time black cumin
requires to reach the floral bud appearance stage happens ACKNOWLEDGMENT
to be 2.8 higher than the time the same crop would require
at a Tropical monsoon zone. The authors are thankful to Çukurova University for
Besides, in the present study the time required for 50% financially supporting the study (Project No. FYL-2016-
of the plants to reach the flower bud initiation was 146 7435).
days, 2.6-fold higher than that registered in the study
performed by Haq et al. (2015).
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