Effect of Organic Nutrient Sources and Chemical Fertilizers on Crop Growth and Yield of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in Coastal Saline Zone of West Bengal

Sesame has great potential in decreasing current gap between production and consumption of vegetable oil with lower levels of agricultural inputs. Combined application of various organic and inorganic nutrient sources is addressed by many researchers for obtaining higher yield of many oilseed crops. However, fewer findings are available on this to enhance growth and yield of oilseeds in Indian subcontinent. Field experiment was formulated to study the effect of different organic nutrient sources in combination with various doses of nitrogenous fertilizer for enhancing seed and oil yield of sesame in pre-kharif season of 2023 and 2024 comprising nine treatments combining different percentage of nitrogenous fertilizer, vermicompost, FYM, sulphur and Azospirillum that can significantly improve growth and yield of sesame. Application of 75% RDN + 25% vermicompost + Azospirillum recorded highest seed yield (1083 kg/ha) and oil yield (479.7 kg/ha) among all the treatments, although 75% RDN + 25% vermicompost + sulphur @20 kg/ha significantly increased oil content (44.7%) of sesame. Combined effect of vermicompost and microbial inoculation reflected better vegetative and reproductive growth that ultimately triggered seed and oil yield of sesame while improved oil content was obtained due to additional sulphur fertilization.