Assessment of Yield Attributes and Path-coefficient Analysis of Sesame to Determine the Appropriate Seedbed Pattern for Maximizing Irrigation Water Use Efficiency in Arid Ecosystems

Abstract The appropriate growth medium configuration is a crucial agronomic practice for water utilization, especially in arid areas. This issue is of particular importance in calcareous soils, where crop plants suffer from limited water and nutrient availability. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to estimate the yield performance and irrigation water use efficiency of sesame grown in different sowing patterns under different irrigation levels. A-2 year field trial was carried out in two summer seasons (2022 and 2023) in a strip-plot with a randomized complete block design using three replications. Three sowing patterns (flat, ridges, and beds) were allocated vertically. Irrigation water levels (100, 75 and 55% of evapotranspiration, ETc 1 , ETc 2 and ETc 3 , respectively were applied and distributed horizontally. ETc 1 × beds followed by ETc 2 × ridges or beds in both seasons were the efficient combinations for producing the highest increases in capsules number plant −1 . ETc 1 × beds or ETc 2 × ridges recorded the shortest height of the first capsule in both seasons. The maximum seed yield was achieved with ETc 2 × beds in both seasons (1262.3 and 1313.3 kg ha −1 ), respectively, and ETc 2 × ridges in the first season (1222.9 kg ha −1 ). ETc 3 × beds (for oil % and oil yield ha −1 in both seasons) and ETc 2 × beds (for oil yield ha −1 in the first season) exhibited the highest increases. ETc 3 × beds interaction gave the maximum increase in irrigation water use efficiency in both seasons. The phenotypic correlation and path-coefficient analysis illustrated that the direct effects of seed index and capsules number plant −1 on seed yield plant −1 showed highly positive values (4.89 and 2.84 in 2022) and (1.01 and 1.01 in 2023). By adopting the beds method for cultivating sesame in arid zones, the irrigation programs should be modified via applying the deficit irrigation strategy to save water (about 25%) while keeping productivity. The findings provide new insights into optimizing resource use through beds sowing and moderate irrigation, contributing to sustainable sesame production in water-limited environments. Further, in order to develop stress-tolerant sesame varieties, breeders should focus primarily in breeding programs on improving capsules number plant −1 and seed index traits due to their great direct contribution influence on seed yield, as indicated by path-coefficient analysis.