Effect of Foliar Application of Micronutrients on Growth, Seed Yield and Yield-contributing Characters of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)
C. L. Sakhare *
Department of Seed Science and Technology, VNMKV, Parbhani, India.
A. M. Misal
Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Latur, India.
A.H. Rathod
BSP Unit, VNMKV, Parbhani, India.
D. K. Zate
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, VNMKV, Parbhani, India.
P. V. Waikar
Department of Seed Science and Technology, VNMKV, Parbhani, India.
S. A. Shinde
Department of Agronomy, VNMKV, Parbhani, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at the Quality Seed Production Unit, Khanapur-A, VNMKV, Parbhani, during the summer season of 2025–26 to evaluate the effect of foliar application of micronutrients on growth, seed yield, and yield-contributing characters of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with nine treatments and three replications using the sesame variety ‘TLT-10’. The treatments comprised: T₁ – Control; T₂ – Boron (Borax) @ 0.3 g/L; T₃ – Zinc (ZnSO₄) @ 0.3 g/L; T₄ – Ferrous (FeSO₄) @ 0.4 g/L; T₅ – Manganese (MnSO₄) @ 0.2 g/L; T₆ – Boron + Ferrous; T₇ – Zinc + Ferrous; T₈ – Ferrous + Manganese; and T₉ – T₂ + T₃ + T₄ + T₅. Foliar sprays were applied at 30 and 60 days after sowing. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among treatments for all eleven growth and yield-contributing characters studied. The combined micronutrient treatment T₉ was consistently superior, recording the earliest attainment of 50% flowering, maximum plant height, and the highest number of branches, leaves, and capsules per plant, along with the maximum capsule length and width, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight, seed yield per plant, and seed yield per plot. Treatment T₇ ranked second for most of the yield-related traits. It was concluded that the combined foliar application of boron, zinc, ferrous, and manganese (T₉) at 30 and 60 DAS was the most effective treatment for maximising seed yield in sesame.
Keywords: Sesame, Sesamum indicum L., foliar application, micronutrients, boron, zinc, iron, manganese, seed yield, yield-contributing characters