Effect of sulphur fertilization and varieties on sulphur use efficiency, yield attributes and yield of sesamel

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy farm, S.K.N. College of Agriculture, Jobner (Rajasthan) during kharif¸ 2015 on loamy sand soil. The experiment comprising of four levels of sulphur (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg/ha) and four sesame varieties (RT-125, RT-127, RT-346 and RT-351) thereby making 16 treatment combinations was laid out in randomized block design and replicated thrice. Results showed that progressive increase in level of sulphur upto 40 kg/ha significantly increased the yield attributing characters of sesame viz., number of capsule per plant, number of seeds /capsule and test weight over preceding levels. It also recorded significantly higher seed (778 kg/ha), stalk (2505 kg/ha) and biological yield (3283 kg/ha) of sesame over control and 20 kg/ha. However, it was fount at par with 60 kg/ha, wherein the maximum values of growth and yield attributes as well as yield were obtained. Results further revealed that N, P and S concentration in seed, their uptake, protein and oil content in seed and oil yield were improved significantly upto 40 kg S/ha. The maximum sulphur use efficiency was recorded when its level was raised from 0 to 20 kg/ha. Variety RT-351 was found significantly superior among all the varieties with respect to growth and yield determining characters of sesame. It also improved the seed, stalk and biological yield to the extent of 11.7, 10.5 and 10.8 per cent over RT-127 and 26.4, 21.3 and 22.5 per cent over RT-125, respectively. It also represented significant improvement is nutrient uptake, oil content in seed and oil yield and fetched the maximum net returns of ` 52073/ha With the highest B: C ratio (2.74) among all the varieties. Application of sulphur at 49.19 kg/ha was found as the optimum dose for sesame as derived from response function.