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P. MONIKA*, V. SUMATHI, P. MAHESWARA REDDY, M.V.S. NAIDU AND G. KARUNA SAGAR
Department of Agronomy, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati – 517502.
A field experiment was conducted during summer, 2021 on sandy loam soils of dryland farm of S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Andhra Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three graded levels of fertilizers [75% RDF (N1), 100% RDF- 40:20:20 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1 (N2) and 125% RDF (N3)] assigned to main plots and four foliar sprays [1% foliar spray of DAP (F1), 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 (F2), 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 (F3) and 0.01% foliar spray of salicylic acid (F4)] allotted to sub plots which were sprayed at 30 and 50 DAS replicated thrice. Supply of 125% RDF (N1) recorded significantly higher yield contributing parameters, seedand stalk yield while, lower values were noticed with supply of 75% RDF (N3). Among foliar sprays, 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 scheduled at 30 and 50 DAS (F2) significantly enhanced yield attributes, seed and stalk yield. However, their lower values were realized with 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 given at same schedule (F3). Similar trend was followed with regard to per cent of oil content, oil yield and economic returns. Soil application of 125% RDF in combination with 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 given twice, each at 30 and 50 DAS resulted in better performance of summer sesame.
KEY WORDS: Fertilizer levels, Foliar sprays, Summer sesame, Yield.
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an important oilseed crop cultivated in India. Sesame is better known as ‘Queen of Oilseeds’ which contain 50-60 per cent oil, 8 per cent protein, 5.8 per cent water, 3.2 per cent crude fiber, 18 per cent carbohydrate, 5.7 per cent ash and it is very rich in minerals such as Ca, P and vitamin E. Sesame oil contains two antioxidants, such as sesamin and sesamol. Sesame seeds are also referred as ‘The Seeds of Immortality’. In India, sesame is cultivated in 16.22 lakh hectares of area with production 6.57 lakh tonnes and productivity 405 kg ha-1. In Andhra Pradesh, sesame is grown in 39,000 hectares of area with 13,380 tonnes of production and productivity of about 343 kg ha-1 during 2019-2020 (www.indiastat.com).
Sesame production in semi-arid regions of India is restricted by soil deficiencies in moisture and plant nutrients. Fertilizers are the most important inputs for successful crop production. Sesame responds very well to application of high dose of fertilizers in almost all growing areas of the country. Nitrogen is primarily responsible for vegetative growth and it is a component of chlorophyll and is required for several enzyme reactions. Phosphorus plays a significant rolein root development, crop maturity and seed production. Potassium enhances the plant resistance to extreme cold and hot temperatures, drought and pests. Hence, a sustainable increase in production can be obtained through balanced fertilization. Therefore, it is necessary to study the behaviour of sesame under various graded levels of fertilizers (Muneshwar et al., 2019).
Certain physiological constraints faced by sesame at the time of its cultivation like slow dry matter accumulation, poor mobilization of photo assimilates from source to sink, heavy flower drop and thereby lower flower to pod ratio can be sorted out by foliar spraying of essential nutrients and plant growth harmones at critical stages of sesame crop. The purpose of applying water- soluble fertilizers like 19:19:19 and DAP through foliar spray helps to keep the leaves viable and longer by re- supplying nutrients that are being rapidly translocated to developing seeds. Hence, it improves the yield and quality of crop. Among the micronutrients, manganese one of the important micronutrient found to increase plant height and nodes for capsule development in sesame. Salicylic acid is a phytoharmone and plays a crucial role in regulation of plant physiological stages, including
photosynthesis, growth, nitrate metabolism, heat production, flowering and response to drought stress (Khatiby et al., 2017).
A field trail was conducted at S.V. Agricultural College, dryland farm, Tirupati of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University during summer, 2021. The soil of the experiment field was sandy loam in texture, neutral in soil reaction (pH- 6.9), low in organic carbon (0.37%),
Graded levels of fertilizer applied to soil and foliar spray of nutrients significantly influenced the seed and stalk yield of summer sesame. However, interaction effect between these two factors was not statistically measurable (Table 1). Maximum seed yield (772 kg ha-1) and stalk yield (2165 kg ha-1) were realized with supply of 125% RDF and found significantly superior to 100% RDF 40:20:20 kg N, P O and K O ha-1 application. Seed yield
-1 -1
(524 kg ha ) and stalk yield (1675 kg ha ) were found to available nitrogen (177 kg ha-1) and available phosphorus (21 kg ha-1), medium in available potassium (163 kg ha-1). The test variety of sesame ‘YLM-17’ was line sown with a spacing of 30 cm × 10 cm at a seed rate of 5 kg ha-1 on 10th January, 2021. The plot size was 5.4 m × 4.2 m. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications, comprising of three graded levels of fertilizers viz.,75% RDF (N1), 100% RDF- 40:20:20 kg
be minimum with application of 75% RDF. Application of higher level of fertilizer might have enhanced total biomass accumulation and its efficient translocation from source to sink which in turn increased seed and stalk yield. These findings are inline with those reported by Thentu et al. (2014) and Muneshwar et al. (2019). With regards to the response of summer sesame in terms of seed and stalk yield due to foliar sprays, 1% foliar spray of 19-19-
N, P O and K O ha-1 (N ) and 125% RDF (N ) assigned
2 5 2 2
3 19 given at 30 and 50 DAS significantly enhanced seed
to main plots and four foliar sprays viz.,1% foliar spray of DAP (F1), 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 (F2), 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 (F3) and 0.01% foliar spray of salicylic
acid (F4) allotted to sub plots which were sprayed at 30
and 50 DAS. The crop was harvested on 14th April, 2021.
The yield attributes of summer sesame viz., number of capsules plant-1, number of seeds capsule-1 except test weight were significantly higher with application of 125% RDF over the lowest level of fertilizer applied to soil 75% RDF (Table 1).This might be due to the plants equipped with luxuriant vegetative growth, activation of photosynthetic enzymes and better assimilates translocation which have ultimately lead to enhancement in yield components. These findings are in conformity with the findings of Shehu et al. (2010). Among the foliar sprays, significantly higher values of above said yield attributes were associated with 1% foliar spray of 19-19- 19 twice, each at 30 and 50 DAS while, they were found to be lower with 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 scheduled at same time. Timely and adequate supply of nutrients through foliar sprays at the peak physiological demand of sesame might be responsible for higher yield attributes. Similar views were also expressed by Mankar et al. (2014). Whereas, the interaction effect between these two factors was not statistically traceable.
yield (746 kg ha-1) and stalk yield (2123 kg ha-1) and found superior to rest of the foliar spray treatments. The seed and stalk yield realized due to 0.01% foliar spray of salicylic acid scheduled at 30 and 50 DAS and 1% foliar spray of DAP sprayed at same schedule were found to be on par with each other. Significantly lower values of seed (545 kg ha-1) and stalk yield (1722 kg ha-1) were noticed with 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 given at 30 and 50 DAS. Supplementing major nutrients through foliar spray might have enhanced better retention and absorption of nutrients which led to higher vegetative and reproductive growth, thus enhancing seed and stalk yield of sesame. The results are in agreement with those reported by Deepthi et al. (2018) and Harisudan et al. (2018).
Per cent of oil content and oil yield of summer sesame seed were found to be maximum with application of 125% RDF and found significantly superior to other graded levels of fertilizers. While, the minimum values were realized with supply of 75% RDF (Table 2).Supply of adequate quantities of nitrogen duly balanced with phosphorus and potassium might have helped in absorption of greater amounts of nitrogen which is an important constituent of nucleic and fatty acids and phospholipids and thus played a crucial role in promoting oil accumulation in the seed which might be responsible for increase in oil yield of summer sesame. These findings are in corroboration with those reported by De et al.
(2013). Among foliar sprays, per cent of oil content and oil yield of summer sesame seed was found significantly higher with 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 twice, each at 30 and 50 DAS while, they were found to be lower with 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 given at 30 and 50 DAS. This may be due to requisite supply of nitrogen and phosphorus through foliar spray, the positive effect of potassium showed higher oil content and oil yield as it has an important role in enhancing enzyme activity and lipid metabolism. Similar reports were given by Deepthi et al. (2018). The interaction effect between these two factors was not found to be at statistically noticeable magnitude.
Among the graded levels of fertilizers supplied to soil, maximum gross and net returns as well as benefit cost ratio of summer sesame were realized with application ofhighest level of fertilizer, i.e. 125% RDF followed by 100% RDF-40:20:20 kg N, P2O5 and K O ha while, it was minimum with the lowest level of fertilizer applied 75% RDF. This might be due to the highest seed and stalk yields realized without proportionate increase in the total cost of cultivation. These results are similar with the findings of Shinde et al. (2014). With regard to foliar sprays, higher gross and net returns, as well as benefit
cost ratio was noticed with 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 sprayed at 30 and 50 DAS followed by 0.01% foliar spray of salicylic acid which was statistically on par with 1% foliar spray of DAP sprayed at same schedule. While, the gross and net returns as well as benefit cost ratio registered lower with 0.5% foliar spray of MnSO4 given at 30 and 50 DAS. 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 might have enabled to meet the nutritional demand efficiently in tune with the physiological needs to ultimately translocate into higher seed and stalk yield which inturn inflated monetary returns. These results are similar with the findings of Deshmukh et al. (2014).
The present investigation inferred that supply of 50:25:25 kg NPK ha-1 (125% RDF) in combination with 1% foliar spray of 19-19-19 given twice, each at 30 and 50 DAS proved to be promising in realizing higher productivity and profitability of summer sesame on sandy loam soils of Southern Agro-climatic zone of Andhra Pradesh.
Anonymous. 2019. http://www. indiastat.com/ [accessed 2019-2020]
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