CUMIN (CUMINUM CYMINUM L.; UMBELLIFERAE) CULTIVATION IN WEST BENGAL PLAINS, KALYANI, NADIA

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.; Family: Umbelliferae) is a seed spice of commercial importance as well as it is a potential medicinal herb with immense therapeutic uses not withstanding its significance in health food formulations. Seeds (fruits) yield essential oil cuminaldehyde, and it is used in perfume industry. The species is reported to be widely cultivated (major states: Rajasthan and Gujrat) in India, excepting West Bengal and Assam. Good field and viable seeds (evidenced from Scanning Electron Microscopy and viability test performed following the use of 1% tetrazolium chloride) of cumin (seed moisture content – 8.2%) collected from Zonal Adaptive Govt. Research Station, Krishnanagar, West Bengal were grown in the Experimental field plots of University of Kalyani, Nadia (latitude 22o 50′ to 24o 11′ N, longitude 88o 09′ to 88o 48′ E, elevation 48 feet above sea level; sandy loamy soil, pH – 6.8) during the months of December to April 2009-2010. Seeds of mother stock germinated (petriplate – 100.0%; field – 54.0%, survivality – 55.56%) and plants were raised and flowers started from early February. Male meiosis (2n=14; mean chromosome association/cell at metaphase- 6.80II+0.35I, chiasma/nucleus- 10.4±0.3, coefficient of chiasma terminalization– 0.66, predominance of rod bivalents at MI; 100.0% anaphase I cells were cytologically balanced) and pollen grains (assessed following 1% acetocarmine staining technique) fertility (84.8%) were nearly normal. On histological examinations of mother fruit stock it was found that it possessed distinct fruit wall layers, endosperm, embryo and oil vittae but fruits of raised plants were devoid of embryo and endosperm. The present investigation possibly provided some evidences regarding failure of cumin cultivation in West Bengal though a representative location was considered.