Gas Exchange and Yield Responses of Sesamum indicum L. to Salt Stress Under Mineral and Organic Fertilization

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) cv. BRS Anahí is a promising crop for agricultural diversification in the Brazilian semi-arid region, although saline irrigation can limit its development and productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological and productive responses of sesame irrigated with brackish water under different fertilization treatments. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Federal University of Ceará, using a completely randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with four replications. These corresponded to four fertilization treatments (F1: HomeBiogas liquid biofertilizer from CAGECE; F2: HomeBiogas from food waste; F3: shrimp biofertilizer; and F4: mineral fertilization—NPK) and two irrigation water salinity levels (0.8 and 3.0 dS m−1). Irrigation with 3.0 dS m−1 significantly reduced the analyzed variables; however, the intensity of these effects varied according to the fertilization treatment. Treatment F1 promoted greater physiological activity under saline conditions, partially mitigating saline stress. At low salinity, treatments F1 and F3 showed productivity performance similar to F4, while at high salinity, F3 was less effective. The results highlight the potential of the selected biofertilizers to improve sesame performance under saline irrigation.