| A field experiment was conducted during the summer season 2009 and 2010 at the experimental field of crop science department-College of Agriculture-University of Baghdad in order to determine the response Black Nightshade crop (Solatium nigrum L.) to the sowing date and removal of some plant parts on the characteristics of growth and the active ingredient (Solanine). The experiment consisted of planting dates (15 / 3,30 / 3,14/4) as a main factor and removal factor (removal of shoot apex and removal of floral buds) in addition to check treatment as a secondary factor. These treatments were arranged according to the randomized complete block design in a split-plot design arrangement with three replicates. The planting dates caused significant effects on studied characters, The first date 15 / 3 gave highest means for: plant height (112.66, 110.14 cm), number of branches (11.29, 10.58 plant'1), leaf area (9039.00, 8999.70 cm3), dry weight of leaves (207.61,205.31 gm) and the total dry weight for plant (411.43, 402.41 gm) in both seasons, respectively. In addition, the first date 15 / 3 gave highest percentage mean for the solanine in the leaves (52.21 %), The removal factor caused significant effects on studied characters, The removal of shoot apex gave highest means for: number of branches (10.01, 9.58 plant"1), leaf area (8878.80, 8826.40 cm1), dry weight of Leaves (184.16, 181.19 gm) and the total dry weight for plant (380.57, 372.24 gm) in both seasons, respectively. In addition, the removal of shoot apex gave highest percentage mean for the solanine in the leaves (48.95 %). While the removal of floral buds gave highest means for plant height (112.59, 111.14 cm) in both seasons, respectively. Interaction between the two factors caused significant effects, i.e. the first date 15/3 with removal of shoot apex treatment gave highest means for: number of branches (12.37, 11.67 plant") in both seasons, respectively, and the solanine in the leaves (57.53 %). It was concluded that early planting date of Black Nightshade plant and removal of shoot apex caused greater effect on vegetative growth character and solanine percentage. |