MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS, YIELD ATTRIBUTES AND YIELD OF SESAME (Sesamum indicum L.) AS INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN AND NAA

Abstract

The experiment was undertaken in the Farm laboratory of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during Kharif 1 season, April to July 2013 to examine the response of different levels of nitrogen and foliar application of 1-napthaleneacitic acid (NAA) on morphology, yield contributing attributes and seed yield of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) variety BARI Til 4 . In this experiment, the treatment consisted of three different N levels viz. N0 = 0 kg N/ha, N1 = 60 kg N/ha and N2 = 120 kg N/ha and four different level of NAA viz. A0 = 0 ppm, A1= 25 ppm, A2 =50 ppm and A3 =75 ppm. The experiment was laid out in two factors Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The total treatment combinations were 12 (3x4). Results of the experiment showed a significant variation among the treatments in respect of the majority of the observed parameters. The N significantly increased morphological characters - plant height, number of leaves 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,thousand seed weight compared to control. The maximum seed yield (1.26 t/ha) was obtained from 60 kg N/ha and suggesting that N can contribute to promote vegetative growth and yield of sesame. As N, NAA also stimulated the all morphological characters except leaf and branch number plant-1of sesame. The maximum number of pod plant-1, pod diameter, pod length, seed weight per plant, seed yield (1.22 t/ha) significantly increased with 50 ppm NAA. These results indicate that NAA has positive effect on reproductive attributes of sesame. The interaction between different levels of N and NAA did significantly influenced on almost all morphological parameters and yield contributing characters and seed yield of sesame. Separately, the leaf and branch number plant-1 of sesame did not show any significant difference with combined use of N and NAA. The maximum value of yield contributing characters, seed yield of sesame was observed with the combined dose of N1A2 (60 kg N/ha along with 50 ppm NAA) whereas the lowest values were obtained from control, N0A0 (0 kg N/ha and 0 ppm NAA) treatment combination. The maximum seed yield (1.49 t/ha) was obtained from 60 kg N/ha with 50 ppm NAA treatment combination. Based on the present results, it can be suggested that the combined use of 60 kg N/ha with 50 ppm NAA have increased plant morphology and seed yield of sesame.