ACTA Scientiarum Polonorum

Abstract: The level of nitrates, nitrites, total and soluble oxalates was determined in dill plants. Analyses of plants, which were 20-60 cm in height, and of their separate parts were carried out. In general the higher the plants, the smaller was the content of nitrates. With the assumption that the content of nitrates in whole plants is 100%, the leaf blade contained 34-49% of nitrates, the leaf petiole 127-188%, the whole leaf 68-94%, and the stem 110-135%. The level of nitrites was very low, varying within the range of 0.01-0.41 in 1 kg of dill. The higher the plants, the greater was the content of total oxalates. With the content found in whole plants taken as 100% the leaf blade contained 104-128%, the petiole 103-117%, and the whole leaf 103-125%, while the content in dill stem was 87-92%. The proportion of soluble oxalates in total oxalates was 61-71% in the leaf blade, 14-19% in the petiole, 47-51% in the intact leaf, 13-40% in the stem, and 25-49% in the whole plant. Only in the case of the stem and whole plant was this proportion greater the smaller the plant.