Dill is grown in nearly all production areas over the country, in smaller areas and gardens, but rarely in larger areas intended to processing. Dill has a multiple purpose and is most commonly used as a spice in foodstuffs, but also as a medicinal plant with a broad application in the pharmacy and veterinary fields. Being so, the study aimed at seeking the effect on both, biomass yield of dill and essential oil content in the above-ground part, was initiated.

During growing seasons of 1998 and 1999, field trials were carried out on the three localities: Pančevo (South Banat) at the altitude of 70 m, marsh meadow soil, Gorobilje (West Serbia) at the altitude of 300 m a.s.l., alluvial soil, and Blagaja (West Serbia) at the altitude of 600 m a.s.l., brown soil.

The experimental results have shown significant effect of existing environmental factors on the dill biomass yield as well as oil content. In both investigation years, the highest yield of the dry above-ground mass was reached on the locality of Pančevo, (3750 kg/ha two-year average). In the conditions of the locality Blagaja, dill production resulted in the lowest yield, (2620 kg/ha two-year average), whilst that achieved on the locality of Gorobilje (3665 kg/ha two-year average), allowing for the slightest variations found between investigation years.

The highest yield of dill essential was on the locality of Gorobilje, (80.5 l/ha two-years average) and the lowest one on Blagaja locality, (40 l/ha two-years average). The yield of dill essential oil on Pančevo locality was 71.5 l/ha, with that of Pančevo, showing 71.5 l/ha on average.

Key words: dill, environmental conditions, locality, yield, essential oil.