Effect of nipping, crop geometry and different levels of nitrogen on the growth and yield of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2016 at the Crop Research farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural institute, SHUATS, Allahabad (U.P.) to find out the effect of nipping, crop geometry and different levels of nitrogen on the growth and yield of sesame. The experiment consisted of sixteen treatments, comprising of nipping (N0: no nipping and N1: nipping at 25 DAS), crop geometry (P1: 30 cm x 15 cm and P2: 45 cm x 10 cm) and different levels of nitrogen (F0: 0 kg N ha-1, F1: 20 kg N ha-1, F2: 40 kg N ha-1 and F3: 60 kg N ha-1), laid out in Randomised Block Design and thrice. The results showed that nipping at 25 DAS with a crop geometry of 45 cm x 10 cm and nitrogen level of 60 kg ha-1 showed higher growth parameters viz., plant height (139.90 cm), plant dry weight (31.48 g), crop growth rate (50.8 g m-2 day-1), relative growth rate (0.06 g g-1 day-1) and higher yield attributes viz., capsule plant-1 (87.18), seeds capsule-1 (36.43), harvest index (0.28) and consequently, seed yield (662.67 kg ha-1).