Growth and Yield of Sesame (<i>Sesamum indicum</i> L.) under the Influence of Planting Geometry and Irrigation Regimes

Abstract

A field study to evaluate the “growth and yield of sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.) under the influence of planting geometry and irrigation regimes” was carried out at Oilseeds Section, Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam located at (25 ° 25'60"N, 68 ° 31'60"E) during Kharif 2013. The experiment was laid out in a three replicated randomized complete block design (RCBD) factorial, having net plot size 3 × 3 m (9 m2). The treatments comprised three planting geometry (30 × 20 cm, 45 × 15 cm and 60 × 10 cm) and three irrigation regimes (2 irrigations at 20 and 40 DAS, 3 irrigations at 20, 40 and 60 DAS and 4 irrigations at 20, 40, 60 and 80 DAS). The analysis of variance showed that all the planting geometry and irrigation regimes significantly (P < 0.05) affected growth and yield of sesame. Planting geometry of 45 × 15 cm resulted in maximum branches plant -1 (15.67), capsules plant -1 (38.00), seeds capsule -1 (51.44), seed weight plant -1 (31.89 g), seed index (2.83 g), biological yield (2301.23 kg · ha -1 ), seed yield (742.33 kg · ha -1 ) and harvest index (30.44%), followed by planting geometry of 60 × 10 cm in all the parameters. However, minimum growth and yield traits of sesame were recorded under planting geometry of 30 × 20 cm. Moreover, plant height was maximum (99.89 cm) under planting geometry of 30 × 20 cm. Among irrigation regimes, four irrigations (20, 40, 60 and 80 DAS) recorded maximum plant height (103.33 cm), branches plant -1 (16.44), capsules plant -1 (41.22), seeds capsule -1 (54.56), seed weight plant -1 (33.22 g), seed index (2.92 g), biological yield (2321.21 kg · ha -1 ), seed yield (748.78 kg · ha -1 ) and harvest index (31.00%), followed by three irrigations (20, 40 and 60 DAS) almost in all the traits. However, minimum growth and yield traits of sesame were recorded when crop was applied two irrigations (20 and 40 DAS). In case of interactive effects, the interaction of planting geometry of 45 × 15 cm × four irrigations (20, 40, 60 and 80 DAS) resulted in maximum attributes, particularly seed yield (765.00 kg · ha -1 ), whereas minimum traits were noted in the interaction of planting geometry of 30 × 20 cm × two irrigations (20 and 40 DAS). Furthermore, the results of four and three irrigations had non-significant differences with each other means not sharing the same letter differ significantly at 0.05 probability level. Hence, it is concluded that interaction of 45 × 15 cm planting geometry and three irrigations (20, 40 and 60 DAS) is conducive to produce maximum seed yield (kg · ha -1 ) of sesame.