Effect of irrigation, nitrogen and stage of harvesting on yield, yield attributes and quality of Brassica campestris var. Toria

The experiment was carried out during 1992–93 and 1993–94 in a split plot design. Six combinations of three irrigation levels (No irrigation, one irrigation at flowering and two irrigation at flowering and pod formation) and two stages of harvesting (Physiological maturity and full maturity) formed the main plot treatments and three nitrogen levels (control, 40 kg N ha −1 and 80 kg N ha −1) were kept in sub-plots. Compared with the no irrigation, irrigation at flowering significantly increased the siliquae plant −1, seeds siliqua −1, 1000 seed weight, oil content, seed yield, stalk yield and harvest index. The crop responded up to the highest level of nitrogen (80 kg ha −1). There was significant increase in siliquae plant −1, seed yield, stalk yield and harvest index over control. However, no significant effect of nitrogen on seeds siliqua −1, 1000 seed weight and oil content was observed. Harvesting at full maturity found to increase oil content, 1000 seed weight, seed yield and harvest index