title: Effects of maturity and plant spacing on the morphine content of two varieties of Papaver somniferum L.
abstract: Two varieties of opium poppy were grown under irrigation for one season and their capsules analysed for morphine content by gas chromatography. Harvest of the capsules at 29-33 days after flowering (mature seed) gave 6.70 kg/ha morphine as compared to 5.36 kg/ha morphine in capsules harvested at 4-6 days after flowering. With constant row spacing (30 cm between double rows on ridges 102 cm apart), a plant spacing of 6 cm gave 20 per cent more morphine than either 12- or 18-cm spacing. There was no statistical difference in morphine content between a blue- and a white-seeded variety.
mesh_terms: D001130:Arizona; D002140:California; D009020:Morphine / Q000032:analysis*; D010207:Papaver / Q000032:analysis*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D009020:Morphine