Evening Primrose and Rapeseed Yield Components and Grain Oil Concentrations Were Differentially Modulated by the N, P, and K Supplies in a Mediterranean Area

Hoda Sany,Mohamed F Ramadan,Sergio Saia,Luigi Pari,Hussein A H Said-Al Ahl,Ali S Sabra

doi:10.3390/agronomy11071271

Hoda Sany, Mohamed F Ramadan + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071271

Copy DOI

Abstract

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) is an industrial crop-producing seed with high oil concentration characterized by high gamma-linoleic acid. However, limited information is available on its response to the nutrient supply, especially P and K. The aim of this work was to compare the response of Evening Primrose to the application of N, P, and K alone or in combination in a P and K deficient soil in terms of grain yield, yield components, and oil composition in comparison to Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Evening Primrose yielded 54.4% less seed and 67.3% less oil than Rapeseed. Such differences were reduced when nutrients, especially N or P, were applied. N stimulated Evening Primrose more than Rapeseed. Application of K favored Evening Primrose oil yield when no N or P were added, and this especially occurred by an enhancement of the pod number. P favored yield per pod and oil yield in the Evening Primrose more than Rapeseed in almost all conditions. Fertilization scarcely affected lipid composition. In particular, an increase in the oleic acid concentration was found only when N + K or N + P + K were applied compared to the sole N or sole K applications. These results suggest that P and K differentially influenced yield components of both species and that Evening Primrose was less adapted than Rapeseed to a scarce nutrient supply.

Highlights

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L., Family Onagraceae, Order Myrtales) is a facultative biennial species native to central and North America from arid and semiarid areas [1]
The aim of the present work was to study the relationship among N, P, and K supply on the yield and yield components of Evening Primrose compared to another well-known oilseed species, namely Rapeseed (Brassica napus L. cv. serw 1), both grown in a P and K deficient soil in two cropping seasons in a Mediterranean area
Application of fertilizer increased on average the yield by the species to a dramatically lower extent compared to the species choice, with wNa,sPa,papnldiedK, fwerhteilriezaastiwonhienncrKeabsuint gnogtraPinwyaisealdppblyie1d8,.5it%in, c1r3e.2a%se,dabnyd o6n.4l%y 6o.1n%a.vIenratghee bNefetwrtieleiznedsppelcoiet,sa. pWphliecnatnioonNofwPaasloapneplsileidgh, Ktlyfeinrtcirliezaasteidonthinecgrreaaisnepdegrrpaoindy(i+e6ld.0%m)o, rwehtheraenasP, awpphleirceaatisounnodfeKr Nalofneertdiliizdantiootn, atnhde rtholeeaopfpblioctahtioPnaonfdboKthfePrtailnizdatKiodneicnregarsaeidn gyriaeilnd pwears psocdarbcye (7F.9ig%u.re 1)

Summary

Introduction

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L., Family Onagraceae, Order Myrtales) is a facultative biennial species native to central and North America from arid and semiarid areas [1]. Information on its agronomic traits, ability to withstand various stresses, and critical nutrient requirements are scarce Such a lack of knowledge especially occurs for crops in Mediterranean areas, where stresses including drought were shown to reduce grain, oil yields, and quality to a variable extent [8,12,13,14,15,16,17], where the effect on oil content was shown to be negligible in other species [18]. Most later reports have shown that a plant density higher than 100 plant m−2 for Evening Primrose is a prerequisite to achieving high yields when the water supply is adequate, but little information is available for water-limited conditions. Rapeseed P and K accumulation may depend on the S availability [24]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion