Evaluating the Effects of Integrated Nitrogen Management and Sulphur Fertilization on Sesame Growth, Yield, and Economic Returns in Semi-Arid Ecosystem of Rajasthan

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted under loamy sand soil during kharif 2020 and 2021 at Agronomy farm, S.K.N. College of Agriculture, Jobner. The treatments comprising seven integrated nitrogen management (control, 100% RDN, 100% RDN through FYM, 100% RDN through vermicompost, 50% RDN + 50% N through FYM, 50% RDN + 50% N through vermicompost and 50% N through FYM + 50% N through vermicompost) and four levels of sulphur (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg/ha) assigned respectively to main and sub plots were replicated thrice in split plot design. Result showed that different treatments of integrated nitrogen management had significant effect on yield, net returns and sulphur use efficiency of sesame. Application of 50% RDN + 50% N through vermicompost (N5) and 50% RDN + 50% N through FYM (N4), were the most superior and equally effective treatments in enhancing these parameters among all the treatments. Fetching the maximum net returns of ₹ 52872/ha with B: C ratio of 2.96, application of 50% RDN + 50% N through vermicompost was recorded as the most remunerative treatment and found at par with 50% RDN + 50% N through FYM which gave net returns of ₹51281/ha with B: C ratio 3.11. Applications of 100% RDN and 50% N through FYM + 50% N through vermicompost were noted to be the next superior and equally effective treatments in improving yield and net returns in sesame. Results further revealed that progressive increase in level of sulphur up to 40 kg/ha resulted significant improvement on productivity and profitability of sesame over preceding levels. Significant improvement in net returns (₹46914/ha) and B: C ratio (2.78) was also obtained up to this level of sulphur fertilization. Being at par with 60 kg/ha, sulphur fertilization at 40 kg/ha also fetched 7.9 and 38.7 per cent more net returns over 20 kg/ha and control, respectively. Based on the response studies, application of sulphur at 49.04 kg/ha was the optimum level of S for sesame. 50% RDN + 50% N through vermicompost was also found best for agronomic efficiency (AE) and apparent recovery (RE) of applied S (3.11 kg seed/kg S; 3.44%). Maximum AE, RE and physiological efficiency (PEs) were obtained with 20 kg S/ha.