Author(s): A. M. Puste, B. Ray Pramanik, K. Jana, S. Roy, T. Sunanda Devi

Abstract: Field study was undertaken at the University Research Farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, West Bengal, India (23.5ºN, 89ºE and 9.75 m above MSL) during two consecutive summer seasons (pre-kharif) to study the effect of irrigation on the basis of soil moisture tension (SMT) and sulphur fertilization on growth, yield, consumptive use (CU) and water use efficiency (WUE) of sesame var. Rama and also to optimize the sulphur application to sesame under New Alluvial zone of West Bengal. The experiment was planned in a split-plot design keeping four levels of irrigation on the basis of SMT [I - without irrigation or control, I - irrigated at 0.35 atm (atmospheric tension), I - irrigated at 0.55 atm and I - irrigated at 0.75 atm) as 1 2 3 main plot and four levels of sulphur (S - without sulphur or control, S - 20, S - 40 and S - 80 kg S ha–1] as sub plot treatments, 0 1 2 3 respectively. The experimental results revealed that vegetative growth and yield attributing characteristics of sesame were significantly influenced with irrigation at different SMT and sulphur fertilization. Among different levels of SMT, higher vegetative growth (plant height, number of branches per plant and dry matter production) were observed with irrigation at 0.35 atm. tension but maximum yield components (no. of capsules plant-1, no. of seeds capsule-1 and 1000 seed weight), seed yield, oil content and oil yield were exhibited with irrigation applied at 0.55 atm. tension. Higher values of growth characters, yield components and ultimately seed and oil yields of sesame were obtained with 40 kg S ha-1. Maximum oil content was recorded with 60 kg S ha-1, though it did not differ significantly with the former one. CU was maximum (282.50 mm) when irrigation was done maintaining at 0.35 atm. tension and it was decreased with increase in SMT level. WUE was the highest (4.16 kg ha-1 mm-1 of water use) when irrigation was given at 0.55 atm. tension. For seed yield, the response of per kg of sulphur application was found to be quadratic in nature and maximum response (7.06 kg seeds per kg of S application) at the sulphur level of 20 kg ha-1 and decreased with the increase in S level but the optimum level was found at 29.89 kg ha-1. From the study it may be concluded that irrigation at 0.55 atm. tension along with 40 kg level of S ha-1 gave the higher economic return than that of other treatments because of the favourable effect of these treatments on the growth and yield attributes and other parameters of sesame in the new alluvial zone of West Bengal.

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