Effect of genotype and environment on carvone yield and yield components of winter-caraway in the Netherlands

Abstract

This paper reports on the comparative performance of ten varieties of winter-caraway from Eurasian origins, on four sites in the Netherlands in 1991/92, harvested on two dates one week apart. Carvone yield is calculated as the product of seed yield and carvone content. As for seed yield, there were significant differences between sites, and between different varieties on different sites, but not for genotype x environment interaction. Varieties with shattering seed lost more than half their seed when mechanically harvested a week late, whilst non-shattering variety Bleija lost nothing. Varieties did not significantly differ in thousand-seed weight, but there was a difference in site effects, with the sandy soil site being lowest. In only two of the sites the varietal effect on carvone content was significant, the site effect was marked, the sandy soil site being lowest. In three of the four sites the average carvone content was a significant 9% lower on the second date of harvesting. As for carvone production, varietal differences in average carvone production over the sites were small and not significant; the differences in seed yield were offset by differences in carvone content. The site effect was substantial and significant. The highest yield of carvone (over 70 kg/ha) was obtained on sandy loam, whereas on sandy soils the yield was about 40 kg/ha.