Aroma C, B.M. Mote and Neeraj Kumar
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted using a split-plot design at the College Farm of Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, during the summer season of 2024. This experiment included three sowing dates (D1-1st February, D2-18th February, and D3-4th March) as the main plot treatments and three cultivars (V1-G. Til-3, V2-G. Til-4, and V3-G. Til-5) as sub-plot treatments with four replications. The objective was to examine the impact of weather parameters and agrometeorological indices on the seed yield of sesamum. The results of this study revealed that the highest seed yield (649.58 kg ha-1) and straw yield (1221 kg ha-1) were achieved with D1 sowing, specifically on the 1st of February. However, these yields decreased as sowing were delayed, resulting in the lowest seed and straw yields of 453.0 kg ha-1 and 993 kg ha-1, respectively. Among the different cultivars, V1-G. Till-3 yielded significantly higher seed and straw outputs (1321.3 kg ha-1) compared to the cultivar V2-G. Til-4 and V3-G. Til-5. Correlation analysis of weather parameters during various growth phases with yield indicated that minimum temperature, maximum temperature, mean temperature, evening relative humidity, mean relative humidity, morning vapor pressure, and mean vapor pressure all showed a significant positive correlation with seed yield during the P1 phase (from sowing to emergence). Furthermore, it was noted that a higher maximum temperature (exceeding 34 °C) during the early vegetative and reproductive stages adversely affects the sesamum crop. Additionally, Growing Degree Days (GDD) and Photothermal Units (PTU) exhibited a significantly negative correlation with seed yield across all growth stages, with the exception of the P1 phase.