EFFICIENCY OF SOME AGROTECHNICAL TREATMENTS IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY YIELD MODIFICATION OF LEAF CELERY (Apium graveolens L. var. secalinum Alef.)

Abstract

Leaf celery (Apium graveolens L. var. secalinum Alef.) is a vegetable with spicy and medicinal properties. A study on the effect of seeding rate and irrigation onyield of two leaf celery cultivars: ‘Gewone Snij’ and ‘Green Cuttnig’, was carried out at the Felin Experimental Farm of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin during the period 2009–2010. Seeds were sown in the field in the last decade of April in rows 25 cm apart. Two seeding rates were used: 15 and 25 kg·ha-1. Plant irrigation was applied during critical periods of soil water deficit. The raw material was harvested twice: in the 2nd decade of August and in the 2nd decade of October. The investigated factors were shown to have a significant effect on leaf celery yield. A significantly higher content of essential oil was found in the leaves of both celery cultivars harvested on the first date. The highest essential oil yield was obtained from irrigated plants of the cultivar ‘Green Cutting’ harvested in the 2nd decade of August. The main components of the essential oil of leaf celery were limonene and myrcene