Effect of different levels of sulphur and boron on the growth and yield of sesame under red-laterite soils

Abstract

The field experiments were conducted during both the summer (February-June) seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the Agricultural Farm of the Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India. The objective was to study the effect of sulphur and boron nutrition on growth and productivity of summer sesame. The experiment comprising two factors; four levels of sulphur (viz., 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg/ha) and two levels of boron (viz., 0 and 0.15% foliar spray) having eight treatment combinations was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with three replications. From the experimental findings, it revealed that the treatment sulphur @ 45 kg/ha performed best in influencing almost all the growth attributes, yield attributes, nutrient uptake and oil content. The treatment 0.15% foliar spray of boron also recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher growth attributes, yield attributes and oil content. The treatment combination of sulphur @ 45 kg/ha with 0.15% boron was found significant in recording higher values of growth and yield attributes and yield of sesame. Thus, the combination sulphur @ 45 kg/ha with 0.15% boron appeared to be the most promising combination influencing higher growth and productivity of sesame.