INFLUNCE OF NITROGEN AND FOLIAR SPRAY OF MICRONUTRIENTS ON PERFORMANCE OF SESAME (Sesamum indicum L.)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Farm, Dhaka, during Kharif-1 season, April to July 2013 to evaluate the influence of different levels of nitrogen and foliar application of micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu) on performance of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) variety BARI Til 4 . Treatments of the experiment were three different N levels viz. N0 = 0 kg Nha-1, N1 = 60 kg Nha-1 and N2 = 120 kg Nha-1 and four different levels of micronutrients viz. M0 = 0 ppm, M1= 50 ppm, M2 =100 ppm and M3 =150 ppm. The experiment was laid out in two factors Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The total treatment combinations were 12 (3x4). Experimental results showed statistical variation among the treatments in most of the parameters which were analyzed. The N significantly increased morphological characters - plant height, number of leaves plant-1, branch number plant-1, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root; yield contributing characters- number of pod plant-1, pod diameter, pod length, seed weight plant-1, seed weight plot-1 compared to control. The rate of application of N 60 kgha-1 produced the highest seed yield (1.21 tha-1) which is consisting with the vegetative growth and yield of sesame. Foliar application of different concentration of micronutrients also improved the morphological characters and seed yield of sesame as N. Interestingly 1000-seed weight did not show any significant differences with both N and micronutrients. The maximum number of pod plant-1, pod diameter, pod length, seed weight plant-1, seed yield (1.14 tha-1) significantly increased with 150 ppm micronutrients. The interaction effect of different levels of N and micronutrients was significantly influenced on almost all morphological parameters, yield contributing characters and seed yield of sesame. The interaction effect of N and micronutrients failed to show significant differences in branch number plant-1 and 1000-seed weight of sesame. The highest value of yield contributing characters and seed yield of sesame was recorded with the combined dose of N1M3 (60 kg Nha-1 along with 150 ppm micronutrients) and the lowest values were obtained from control, N0M0 (0 kg Nha-1 and 0 ppm micronutrients) treatment combination. The highest seed yield (1.46 tha-1) was obtained from 60 kg Nha-1 with 150 ppm micronutrients where as the lowest yield (0.59 tha-1) found with control treatment. Therefore, this experimental results suggest that the combined use of 60 kg Nha-1 with 150 ppm micronutrients have produced higher seed yield of sesame by adjusting in plant morphological characters and yield contributing characters of sesame.