Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization and Soil Water Content on Seed and Oil Yield in Perennial Castor in a Mediterranean Environment

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed species that can be grown as a semi-perennial in Mediterranean environments, including the coastal areas of Sicily. The present study investigated the optimization of cultivation techniques for castor, with the crop being maintained over a two-year period, through the evaluation of different agronomical inputs in order to increase seed yield. The effects of irrigation (I) and nitrogen fertilization (N) on the seed and oil yield and their components were assessed in castor cultivated in a typical semi-arid environment. Four levels of irrigation (I0, I30, I60, and I100: 0, 30, 60, and 100% of crop evapotranspiration--ETm restoration, respectively) as the main plot and three levels of nitrogen fertilization (N) (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha-1) as the sub-plot were considered. Irrigation mostly affected the number of racemes per plant, the number of capsules per raceme, and the seed weight. The oil content was, on average, 39.2% and 45.6% for the first and second year, respectively. The highest seed yield was obtained by I100N120 treatment (4154.0 kg ha-1); however, the combination of a high soil nitrogen level (N120) and medium water availability (I60) resulted in satisfactory seed and oil yields. The reduction in the irrigation water to an intermediate level could be also an environmentally friendly strategy not significantly affecting yields.