Effect of Tillage and Nutrient Management Practices on Growth, Yield and Oil Quality of Rice Fallow Sesame

A field experiment was conducted during year 2021-22 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad to study the effect of tillage and nutrient management practices on growth, yield and quality of sesame grown in rice fallows. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with 18 treatments comprised of three main plot treatments i.e., A1: Reduced tillage (Cultivator once) , A2: Conventional tillage (Cultivator twice with rotavator once) and A3: Minimum tillage (tillage in the row zone/uprooting soil in the seed zone with hand held dibbler) with six sub-plot treatments i.e., B1: Control , B2: 25% RDF, B3: 50% RDF, B4 : 75% RDF, B5 : 100% RDF and B6 : 125 % RDF replicated three times. Results revealed that there was a significant improvement in growth and yield of rice fallow sesame with conventional tillage and application of 125% RDF. Significantly taller plants, higher drymatter production, seed yield and stalk yield was obtained with conventional tillage. While,125% RDF recorded significantly higher growth and yield parameters when compared to lower fertilizer doses. There was no significant influence of tillage and nutrient management practices on oil content and fatty acid composition. However, with increase in fertilizer dose upto 125% RDF there was a slight change in oil content. Significant effect of tillage and nutrient management was observed in oil yield. Conventional tillage proved to be beneficial as it increased oil yield significantly. With increase in fertilizer doses there was appreciable increase in linoleic and oleic acid content. But stearic acid, palmitic acid and linolenic acid contents decreased at higher fertilizer doses.