Effect of Foliar Application of Micronutrients on Growth, Seed Yield and Yield-contributing Characters of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

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.