Effect of Nitrogen and Sulphur on Quality Characteristics and Accumulation of some Fatty Acids in Mustard Seeds Grown under Loamy Sand Soil of North Gujarat

A field experiment was conducted to study the response of mustard to nitrogen and sulphur application under loamy sand soil of north Gujarat. Three levels each of N (50, 75 and 100 kg N ha^-1) and four levels of S (control, 15, 30 and 45 kg S ha^-1) were tried. Application of nitrogen and sulphur at the rate of 100 kg N ha^-1 and 45 kg ha^-1 significantly increased protein content, chlorophyll 'a', 'b' and total chlorophyll content over rest of level, respectively. Whereas, the effect of nitrogen was non-significant in case of oil content in mustard seed but the application of 40 kg S ha^-1 had significantly increased oil content in mustard seed. The results also revealed that the increasing in levels of nitrogen caused a significant decrease in palmitic, stearic, linolenic and erucic content of oil and its significantly highest value were noted under the lowest level of nitrogen (50 kg N ha^-1). However, the application of nitrogen at the rate of 100 kg ha^-1 significantly increased oleic and linoleic acid content. Among the different levels of S, application of sulphur at the rate of 45 kg ha^-1 significantly increased palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid content. Similarly, increasing levels of sulphur caused a significant decrease in linolenic and erucic acid contents. The interaction effects showed that application of 100 kg N ha^-1 and 45 kg S ha^-1 significantly increased chlorophyll 'a', 'b' and total chlorophyll; oleic and linoleic acid over rest of treatment combination. Where as, the interaction effect of N × S was non-significant in respect to oil content; stearic acid, oleic and linolenic acid content of oil.