Assessment on Effect of Growing Seasons on Seed Yield and Quality Attributes of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Genotypes

Abstract

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a crucial oilseed crop known for its high nutritional value and economic significance. In India, it is cultivated across three seasons. Understanding which season is most suitable for achieving higher yield and good quality seed is essential for optimizing production. In light of this, the present investigation was carried out to assess the effect of growing seasons on seed yield and quality attributes of 20 sesame genotypes in during seasons Kharif 2023 and Rabi 2023-24 at S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati.   The field experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design (RBD) for the evaluation of yield traits and for the evaluation of the quality traits Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used in the laboratory. The Results indicated  that under Rabi season  higher values of traits such as ( Number of branches for plant, Capsule length, Number of capsules per plant, Number seeds per capsule, Test wight, Seed yield per plot,  Field emergence percentage, Germination percentage, seedling length, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour index-I, seedling vigour index-II, oil content , protein content )were recorded , except for days to flowering, plant height, capsule breadth, seed moisture content, and electrical conductivity, which were higher during the Kharif season. This suggests that the cropping season impacts the growth behavior, leading to variations in seed yield and quality. Among the genotypes, 'Madhavi' demonstrated early maturity in both seasons, making it a potential early-maturing variety. 'Madhavi' also had the highest number of capsules per plant during the Kharif season, while 'GT-10' recorded the highest in the Rabi season. 'GT-10' excelled in seeds per capsule, capsule length and breadth, and test weight across both seasons, establishing it as a superior genotype for these traits. The highest seed yield was recorded by 'GT-10' in Kharif season, while 'Madhavi' had the highest yield in the Rabi season. The reduced yield in Kharif was attributed to phyllody disease, 'YLM-66' showed the highest field emergence in both seasons, indicating strong germination ability under different conditions. Regarding seed quality, 'Madhavi' had the highest oil and protein content, Seedling vigour index-I as well as the highest germination percentage in both Kharif and Rabi seasons. The genotype YLM-66 recorded highest seedling length in kharif season while YLM-11 recorded highest seedling length in Rabi season.