Improving Yield and Returns in Sesame through Strategic Agronomic Interventions in Weed and Nutrient Management

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif of 2018 to evaluate the interactive effects of integrated weed management and nitrogen fertilization on growth, yield, and economics of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under semi-arid conditions. The study employed a factorial randomized block design with seven weed management treatments (including combinations of hand weeding, imazethapyr, and alachlor) and three nitrogen levels (0, 20, and 40 kg/ha). Results indicated that the combination of imazethapyr @ 0.15 kg/ha with hand weeding at 30 DAS significantly improved crop growth rate (CGR), branching, capsules per plant, and seed yield, outperforming all other weed control measures. The highest seed yield (8.55 q/ha), biological yield (3.83 t/ha), and net returns (₹27,797/ha) were recorded in this treatment, accompanied by a favourable B-C ratio of 1.86. Increasing nitrogen levels up to 40 kg/ha also significantly enhanced branching, test weight, and yield attributes, with the highest net return (₹25,090/ha) and B-C ratio (1.77) recorded at this level. Correlation analysis further confirmed that seed yield was strongly associated with branches per plant, early CGR, and capsule number. The study highlights that integrating chemical and manual weed control with optimal nitrogen application represents a promising strategy to enhance sesame productivity and profitability in semi-arid agro-ecosystems.