Effect of Foliar Nutrition with Brassinolide on Vegetative Growth Characteristics of Several Sesame Cultivars

Abstract

In the summer of 2022, researchers in the Karma region of Anbar Governorate applied foliar nutrition with brasinolide to four different sesame cultivars to see how it affected their growth. The study followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with a split-plot layout and three replicates. Brassinolide concentrations occupied the main plots (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 mg L-1), while the cultivars (Sumer, Rafidain, Wadea, Hadd) occupied the sub-plots. The results indicated that the Sumer cultivar recorded the lowest number of days from planting to the beginning of flowering, which amounted to 39.83, it also gave the highest average plant height of 198.17 cm. The cultivar Hadd was superior in the number of branches (6.29 plant-1), the leaf area (7863 cm2 plant-1), and the dry weight of the plant (223.48 gm). Whereas, the Wadea cultivar outperformed in the leaves content of chlorophyll (26.53 mg 100 g-1 fresh weight). The brasinolide concentration of 1.5 mg L-1 recorded the shortest period from planting to the beginning of flowering (38.67 days), plant height (199.17 cm, number of branches 5.08 branch plant-1, leaf area 5619 cm2 plant-1, chlorophyll content (26.93 mg 100 gm-1 fresh weight, and plant dry weight 215.58 gm. There was a significant interaction between the cultivar Sumer and the concentration of 1.5 mg L-1 in the number of days from planting to the beginning of flowering and plant height. Also, there was an interaction between Hadd cultivar and the same concentration in the number of branches, leaf area and dry weight of the plant. While, the cultivar Wadea, it also interacts with the same concentration in the leaf’s chlorophyll content.