Response of soil and foliar application of zinc and iron for increasing growth and yield of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment were conducted during kharif season of 2016 to 2018 to study the response of soil and foliar application of zinc and iron for increasing the growth and yield of sesame at Oilseeds Research Station, MPKV, Jalgaon (MS). The soil of experimental field was vertisoles low in nitrogen (221 kg ha-1) medium in phosphorus (21.60 kg ha-1), rich in potassium (675 kg ha-1), low in zinc (0.5 ppm)andiron (4.3ppm) with alkaline in reaction (pH 8.20). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with eleven treatments and three replications viz. T1 - Control (RDF + FYM), T2- T1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1, T3 - T1 + Foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 0.5 % at 30 & 45 DAS, T4 - T1 + T2 + T3, T5 - T1 + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1, T6- T1 + Foliar application of FeSO4 @ 0.5 % at 30 & 45 DAS, T7- T1 + T5 + T6, T8 -T1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 12.5 kg ha-1 + Soil application of FeSO4 @12.5 kg ha-1, T9 - T8 + Foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 0.5 % at 30 & 45 DAS , T10 - T8 + foliar application of FeSO4@ 0.5 % at 30 & 45 DAS, T11- T1 + Sulphur @ 30 kg ha-1 (Elemental sulphur or Gypsum). The pooled results revealed that, in the experiment of zinc and iron application the treatment T10 (T8+Foliar application of FeSO4 @ 0.5% at 30 & 45 DAS) produced the highest seed yield 531 kg ha-1, with the net monetary returns Rs.22,340/- and B:C ratio 2.04 followed by treatment T9 - (T8 + foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 0.5% at 30 & 45 DAS) produced the seed yield 502 kg ha-1, Rs. 20,281/- NMR and 1.96 B:C ratio of sesame.