DILL SEEDS

Dill is annual herbaceous crop having leaves with pleasant smell and warm taste and yellow attractive flowers. The Indian dill is native of Northern India. It looks like fennel plant grows from 2 to 2.5 feet. Its seed and leaves are used as spice. They are used in soups, salads, sausage and pickling. Dill seeds and oil have medicinal property and used for preparing medicine. Oil is extracted from seeds, leaves and stems. India and Pakistan are major dill seed producing countries. In India major dill seeds cultivating states are Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam and West Bengal.

Any fertile soil is suitable for dill cultivation. For good growth, it required well drained and rich organic content soils. Ideal pH range for optimum growth is about 5 to 7, and average pH of 6.2.

Local: Its average height is about 160cm along with yellow flower. It is ready for harvesting in 190 days. Its flowers are light yellow while fruits are long and oval shape.

For good growth and yield it required fine beds. To bring soil to fine tilth, plough land for two three times. Carry out planking operation after every ploughing. 

Time of sowing
Second fortnight of October is best time for dill sowing.

Spacing
For European dill seeds use spacing of 60cm between the rows and keep plant to plant spacing of 20cm.
For Indian Dill seed variety, use row spacing of 40-50cm and plant spacing of 20cm.

Sowing Depth
Sow the seed at depth of 3-4cm.

Method of sowing
For sowing generally broadcasting method is used but line sowing is more efficient way of dill seed sowing.

Seed Rate
Use 2kg of seeds for sowing one acre land.

Seed treatment
To protect crop from Alternaria Leaf spot, before sowing dip seed in hot water@50°C for 25-30 minutes.

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply Nitrogen@35kg in form of Urea@75kg/acre in two or three equal splits. Soil testing is necessary to know exact quantity of fertilizer to be applied. Apply phosphorus fertilizer if soil shows its deficiency.

If dill is cultivated for culinary purpose, avoid use of weedicide. Hand weeding is done to keep field weed free. 30-40days after sowing carry out first weeding operation.   

For good germination, apply pre-sowing irrigation. Apply second irrigation 10-15days after sowing. Depending upon requirement provide subsequent irrigation. Flowering stage is crucial stage for irrigation. Avoid moisture stress during this period.

• Pest and their control:

Hornworm: These are bluish green caterpillar, 4 inch long, feeds on dill leaves. If horn worm is observed and infestation is low, then remove it by hand picking.

• Disease and their control:
  

Alternaria blight: Leaves get discolored and drop from plant. Some time they seed borne. Seedling and older leaves are more susceptible to this disease.

To avoid its infestation, do crop rotation, don’t sow dill crop continuously on same field. Use clean seeds. Before sowing, dip seed in hot water@50°C for 25-30min. If infestation is observed, do foliar application of Mancozeb@3gm/ltr of water.

The crop is ready for harvest in the first week of May. When its umbel color changes to light yellow, plant is ready for harvesting. Harvesting is usually carried out in morning, it will gives better flavor to seed also minimize shattering loss. After harvesting, threshing is carried out.

1.Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana

2.Department of Agriculture

3.Indian Agricultural Research Instittute, New Delhi

4.Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research

5.Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare