Soil test-based fertilizer prescription for targeted yield of sesame (Sesamum Indicum L.)

To develop targeted yield-based integrated nutrient recommendation of sesame, soil test-based crop response field studies on major nutrients were undertaken during two consecutive seasons (2016 and 2017) in an Inceptisol. For this, quantitative estimations of basic parameters viz. nutrient requirement (NR), percentage contribution of nutrients from soil (C-S); from fertilizer (C-F); from farm yard manure (C-FYM) were done. The essential informations obtained from soil and crop testing were used for development of fertilizer prescription equations for different nutrient management practices using organic (FYM) and inorganic chemical fertilizer alone or in combinations. The mean nutrient requirement for the production of 100 kg of sesame grain was 6.98, 1.61 and 3.92 kg of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), respectively. The C-S, C-F and C-FYM values were 21.84, 49.35 and 6.95 for N; 40.23, 26.25 and 4.57 for P; 12.80, 53.13 and 4.07 for K, respectively. Those parameters were used for preparation of ready reckoners of fertilizer prescription for range of soil test values of N, P and K to get targeted yield (& PLUSMN;5 to & PLUSMN;10% of potential yield of variety) of 9 q/ha for sesame grain using FYM and inorganic chemical fertilizer alone or in combinations. Amount of N, P and K fertilizer could be reduced by a significant amount if fertilizers were applied on soil test basis in integration with FYM.