Effect of Weed Free Periods and Crop Density on Morphological Traits, Yield, and Yield Components of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• M. Bahador ¹
• Seeyed Gholamreza Moosavi ²
• S.H.R. Ramazani ³

¹ Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University

² Islamic Azad University, Birjand

³ Sarayan, University of Birjand

10.22067/jpp.v33i2.68641

Abstract

Introduction: Oilseeds such as sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) are one of the rich sources of energy and protein that form the second most important food resource of the world after cereals. The factors like suitable plant density and weeds control are important for maximum economical yield. This crop is highly adapted to the climatic conditions of Iran and is highly tolerated to the drought. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of weed free periods and plant density of sesame on yield, yield components and agronomic traits of sesame in Birjand, Iran.
Materials and Methods: The present study was carried out in research farm of Islamic Azad University of Birjand (Long. 59°13' E., Lat. 32°52' N., Alt. 1491m.). This experiment was performed as factorial based on Randomized Complete Blocks Design with three replications in 2013. Treatments were including weed free periods at five levels (weed free until 20, 40, and 60 days after sesame emergence, perfect weed interference and perfect weed free) and plant density at three levels (7, 14, and 28 plant m-2). In this research morphological traits, yield and yield components of sesame and dry weight and number of weeds per m2 were measured. The texture of the soil in research farm was clay loam with the pH of 7.24, electrical conductivity of 4.14 mmhos cm-1 and total N, P and K content was 0.038%, 7.21 and 223.5 ppm at the depth of 0-30 cm, respectively. Data were analyzed by SAS statistical software and means were compared by Duncan's Multiple Range test at 5% probability level.
Results and Discussion: Analysis of variance showed that yield and yield components traits were significantly influenced by plant density and weed free period. In addition, plant height, stem diameter, branches number of main stem, length capsule were significantly influenced by weed free period, but plant density affected only on plant height and first capsule height from the soil. The interaction between weed free period and sesame plant density was not significant on all traits except biological yield. Means comparison showed that increasing of weed free period had positive effect on morphological traits, yield and yield components of sesame, so that capsule number per m2 increased 3.98, 2.45 and 1.1 times, respectively in perfect weed free treatment compared to the treatments of the perfect weed interference and weed free until 20 and 40 days after sesame emergence. In addition, seed number per capsule increased 155, 20.2, and 9.8%, respectively and 1000-seed weight increased 20.3, 13.6, and 8.9%, respectively. The highest of seed yield (913.62 kg ha-1) belonged to the perfect weed free treatment that in comparison with treatments of perfect weed interference and weed free until 20, 40 and 60 days after sesame emergence had superiority of 15.5, 4, 1.8 and 1.3 times, respectively. Moreover, results indicated that in the perfect weed interference, weeds number per m2 had superiority of 22.6, 3.7 and 2.4 times, and weeds dry weight per m2 had superiority of 40, 8 and 2.8 times, respectively as compared with treatments of weed free until 60, 40 and 20 days after sesame emergence. These findings can be attributed to the increase in competition between crop plant and weeds for growth resources with prolonged weed growth. However, increasing the weed free period caused lower weeds emergence and growth and hence greater resources uptake by sesame plants that finally increased yield component and seed yield of sesame. Means comparison showed that the increase in plant density from 7 to 28 plants m-2 increased capsule number per m2 and seed yield by 76.4 and 72.79%, respectively and decreased weeds number and dry weight by 26.4 and 45.39%, respectively. It is seems that higher plant density per unit area caused maximum usage of production parameters and on the other hand, suitable density (28 plant m-2) increased the ability of crop competition  with weeds.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that both weed interference and plant density, are the affecting factors on yield and yield components of sesame. The lowest yield was achieved at the highest level of weed interference and the lowest density of plants per square meter. High plant density is effective in crop yield due to reduced weed interference. Also, since the plant is susceptible to weed growth in the early stages, increasing the free weed period causes rapid plant growth and increases performance. According to the obtained results in this study, the best treatment for high yield production was perfect weed free and density of 28 plant per square meter.

Keywords

• Plant density
• Sesame
• yield
• Yield components
• Weed interference

20.1001.1.20084749.1398.33.2.7.0

---

References

1- Ahn J.K., Hahn S.J., Kim J.T., Khanh T.D., and Chung I.M. 2005. Evaluation of allelopathic potential among rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm for control of Echinochloa crus-galli in the field. Crop Protection 24:413-419.

2- Alavi S.M., and Saeid M.S.A. 2008. Effect plant densities on forage and seed yield of sorghum in Bam. Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources 12(45a): 91-97. (In Persian with English abstract)

3- Amiri Z., Tavakoli A., and Rastgoo M. 2014. Responses of corn to plant density and weed interference period. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 21(10): 1746-1750.

4- Amiri Z., Tavakoli A., Rastgu M., Yousefi A., and Saba J. 2011. Effects of crop density and weed competition in corn yield and yield components. p. 501-509. 1th Congress of Scientific and New Technology in Agriculture 9-11 Sept. 2011. Zanjan, Iran. (In Persian with English abstract)

5- Aref W.M., AbdeL Raheem H.M., Anaam H.G., and Fakkar A.O. 2013. Estimation of critical period for weed control in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Assiut Journal of Agricultural Sciences 44(3): 32-45.

6- Asghari M., and Armin M. 2015. Effect of weed interference in different agronomic managements on grain yield and yield components of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Journal of Crop Ecophysiology 8(4): 407-422. (In Persian with English abstract)

7- Auskarniene O., Psibisauskiene G., Auskalnis A., and Kadzys A.K. 2010. Cultivar and plant density influence on weediness in spring barely crops. Zemdirbyste Agriculture 97: 53- 60.

8- Bakhtiari Moghadam M., Vazan S., Esfini Farahani M., Aziz Khani S., and Rezaee K. 2012. Study of time and location management of weed control on yield and some agronomical traits of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Journal of Agronomy and Plant Breeding 8(2): 87-96. (In Persian)

9- Bonyadi M., Yadavi A.R., Movahdi Dhnavi M., and Fallah M.H. 2012. Determine the critical period of weed control in winter safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in Yasooj. Journal of Agroecology 3(4): 419-429. (In Persian with English abstract)

10- Carpenter J., and Gianessi L. 1999. Herbicide tolerant soybeans: Why growers are adopting roundup ready varieties. Journal of Agrobiotechnology Management and Economics 2(2): 65-72.

11- Daneshian J., and Jonoubi P. 2008. Evaluation of sunflower new hybrids tolerance to water deficit stress. Proceedings of the 5th International Crop Science Congress. Jejo, Korea.

12- Dehghanian H., and Nasrollahzadeh S. 2014. Effect of plant density and weed interference on morphological characteristics and yield of corn (Zea mays L.). International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research 2(7): 2225-2229.

13- Farahmand N. 2015. Effect of planting date and plant density on morphological traits, yield and yield components of Cannabis. M.Sc. Thesis of Agronomy, Islamic Azad University of Birjand Branch, Birjand, Iran. (In Persian with English abstract)

14- Farnia A., and Mansouri M. 2014. Effect of plant density to yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars. Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology and Life Sciences 3(5): 123-127.

15- Foroghi A., Ghrekhlo J., and Ghaderifar F. 2013. Planting row spacing effect and common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.) interference on grain yield and its components of two sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) cultivars in Gorgan. Electronic Journal of Crop Production 6(2):101-116. (In Persian with English abstract)

16- Ghamari H., and Ahmadvand G. 2013. The effect of different interference and control weeds on height, yield and yield components of red bean. Journal of Crop Production and Processing 3(9): 71-79. (In Persian with English abstract)

17- Grichar W.J., Sestak D.C., Brewer K.D., Besler B.A., Stichler C.R., and Smith D.T. 2001. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) tolerance and weed control with soil-applied herbicides. Crop protection 20(5): 389-394.

18- Haghanian S., Yadavi A., Balouch H., and Moradi A. 2016. Grain, oil yield and nitrogen use efficiency in different varieties of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under nitrogen fertilizer and weed competition. Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production 26(1): 67-81.

19- Heshmatniya M., and Armin M. 2016. Effects of weed interference duration on yield and yield components of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in two different production systems. Journal of Crop Production 9(1): 25-47. (In Persian with English abstract)

20- Islam M.K., Khanam M.S., Maniruzzaman M., Alam I., and Huh M.R. 2014. Effect of seed rate and manual weeding on weed infestation and subsequent crop performance of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Australian Journal of Crop Science 8(7): 1065-1072.

21- Khajehpour M.R. 2005. Industrial plants. University Jihad (Isfahan University of Technology). 582 P.

22- Khazaie M., Hadizadeh M.H., and Zeidali E. 2014. Determining the critical period of weed control in corn at Nahavand. Agricultural Crop Management (Journal of Agricultural) 16(4): 911-919. (In Persian with English abstract)

23- Koocheki A., Nassiri Mahallati M., Nourbakhsh F., and Nehbandani A. 2017. The effect of planting pattern and density on yield and yield components of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 15(1): 31-45. (In Persian with English abstract)

24- Kyamarsii Z., and Kazemiani K.S.A. 2014. Effects of water deficit and redroot pigweed interference period at different growth stages on sunflower yield and oil percentage. Iranian Journal of Weed Science 10(1): 33-46. (In Persian with English abstract)

25- Lack S., Naderi A., Siadat S.A., Ayenehband A., Nourmohammadi G.H., and Moosavi S.H. 2008. The effects of different levels of irrigation, nitrogen and plant population on yield, yield components and dry matter remobilization of corn at climatically conditions of Khuzestan. Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources 11(42): 1-14. (In Persian with English abstract)

26- Lotfi Mavi F., Daneshian J., Baghestani M., Framarzi A., and Shayesteh R. 2012. Effect of integrated weed management on yield and yield components of broomcorn (Sorghum vulgar L.). Iranian Journal of Crop Sciences, 13(4): 596-610. (In Persian with English abstract)

27- Makarian H., Banaian M., Rahimian H., and Isadi Darbandi E. 2003. Planting date and population density influence on competitiveness of corn (Zea mays L.) with redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Iranian Journal of Crop Research 2: 271-279. (In Persian with English abstract)

28- Mohammadi G.R., and Amiri F. 2011. Critical period or weed control in soybean (Glycine max) as influenced by starter fertilizer. Australian Journal of Crop Science 5(11): 1350-1355.

29- Mohammadi Gh.R., Rahimzade A., Mohammadi F., and Salmasi S. 2004. The effect of weed interference on shoot and root growth and harvest index in chickpea. Iranian Journal of Crop Sciences 6(3): 1-13. (In Persian with English abstract)

30- Mohmadali-Nejad R., and Moosavi S.G. 2015. Evaluation of weeds interference period on yield and some traits of new varieties of safflower in Birjand. Biological Forum–An International Journal 7(1): 1485-1489.

31- Moosavi S., Segatoleslami M.J., and Arefi R. 2016. Effect of different nitrogen rates and plant density on morphological traits and yield of grain sorghum. Journal of Applied Research of Plant Ecophysiology 3(2): 141-160. (In Persian with English abstract)

32- Niroomand Tomaj I., Jami Al-Ahmadi M., Zamani Gh., and Riasi A. 2012. Effects of sowing date and plant density on yield and yield components of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) in Birjand region. Journal of Crop Production and Processing 2(3): 57-66. (In Persian with English abstract)

33- Raoofi M., and Alebrahim M.T. 2017. A comparison of weeds interference and non-interference at different planting densities, on yield, nutritional value and some morphological traits of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Sarhad Journal of Agriculture 33(2): 220-231.

34- Rezvani Moghaddam P., and Seyyedi S.M. 2015. The study of critical period of weed control and yield of black seed (Nigella sativa L.) affected by weed free and infested periods. Journal of Plant Protection 29(2): 175-186. (In Persian with English abstract)

35- Sarani S., and Moosavi S.Gh. 2017. Effect of plant density and weeds interference on yield and yield components of sorghum. Journal of Plant Protection 31(3).

36- Seyed Sharifi R., Mohammadi Khanghah P., and Raey Y. 2014. Effect of plant density on yield, yield components and some physiological indices of chickpea cultivars three. Crop Physiology Journal 5(20): 25-38. (In Persian with English abstract)

37- Seyyedi S.M., Ghorbani R., Rezvani Moghaddam P., and Nassiri Mahallati M. 2013. Nitrogen use efficiency and harvest index in black seed (Nigella sativa L.) at different weed competition durations. Journal of Plant Production 20(1): 141-156. (In Persian with English abstract)

38- Shaalan A.M., Abou-zied K.A., and Elnass M.K. 2014. Productivity of sesame as influenced by weeds competition and determination of critical period of weed control. Alexandria Journal of Agricultural Research 59(3): 179‐187.

39- Smith D.L., and Hamel C. 1999. Crop yield physiology and processes. Springer press. 524 p.

40- Soleymani A., Almodares A., and Shahrajabian M.H. 2012. Changes in seed yield and yield components of two cultivars of sweet sorghum in different plant populations. International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences 4(4): 175-178.

41- Svathi A., Rammohan J., Nadanassababady T., and Chellamuthu V. 2005. Influence of sowing methods and weed management on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) yield under irrigated condition. Journal of Crop and Weed 1(2): 4-7.

42- Swanton C.J., Booth B.D., and Murphy S.D. 2003. Weed ecology in natural and agricultural system. CAB international Publishing.

43- Take-tsaba A.I., Yakubu A.I., Alhassan J., and Musa M. 2012. Yield and yield components of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) as affected by weeding regime and cattle dung application in gusau, northern guinea savanna agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. Agricultural Society of Nigeria, p.864.

44- Yaghoubi S.R., and Agha Alikhani M. 2011. Effect of weeds natural population interference and control periods on yield and yield components of autumn canola (Brassica napus L.). Iranian Journal of Agricultural Research 9(4): 659-669. (In Persian with English abstract)

45- Zubair I., Asif T., Muhammad E.S., Ahsan A., Muhammad A., Naeem A., Farhan A.A., Asghar A., and Muhammad M.M. 2011. Effects of weed crop competition period on weeds and yield and yield components of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Pakistanian Journal of Weed Science Research 17(1): 53-61.