Yield and Qualitative Traits of Sesame as Affected by Irrigation Interval, N Fertilizer and Superabsorbent

In order to study the effect of irrigation interval, N fertilizer and superabsorbent on yield and qualitative traits of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), a split-split-plot experiment was coducted in a farm in Khusf of Birjand, Iran in 2009 on the basis of a Randomized Complete Block Design. The main plot was devoted to irrigation interval at three levels of 6, 12 and 18 days, the sub-plot was devoted to N fertilization rate at three levels of 0, 100 and 200 kg ha-1 and the sub-sub-plot was devoted to superabsorbent at two levels of 0 and 200 kg ha-1. It was found that the effect of irrigation interval was significant on seed yield, oil percentage, protein percentage, seed N percentage, oil yield and protein yield, so that the increase in irrigation interval from 6 to 18 days resulted in significant loss of seed yield, oil yield and protein yield by 44.5, 44.5 and 39.7%, respectively. Different N fertilization rates significantly influenced seed yield, oil yield and protein yield, but its effect was not significant on seed oil percentage, protein percentage and N percentage, so that the increase in N level from 0 to 200 kg ha^-1 significantly increased seed yield, oil yield and protein yield by 25.6, 28.3 and 25.1%, respectively. According to the results, it is recommended to use the irrigation interval of 6 days with the treatment of 200 kg N ha^-1 in order to realize optimum yield of sesame in Birjand, Iran.