Effect of seed coating on the accuracy of single-seed sowing of sesame under field conditions

Abstract

Sesame seed treatments consisted of 2 different coatings and uncoated seeds. These were tested to determine their effect on accuracy of plant spacing after emergence in single-seed sowing under different field conditions. Seedbed treatments were composed of traditional tillage without crop residue and conservative tillage with wheat stubble. To quantify plant spacing accuracy and emergence uniformity, spacing between plants within a row and plant emergence per day were measured. The measurements were used to calculate the quality of feed index, multiples index, skip index, precision, emergence rate index, mean emergence date and the percentage of emergence. It was concluded that seed treatments had a significant effect on multiples index and skip index of horizontal distribution pattern and emergence rate index, mean emergence date and the emergence percentage. The coating acted negatively on seed germination and led to missing plants and less plant spacing uniformity in the row. The shortest emergence date and maximum percentage of emergence and quality of feed index were obtained with uncoated sesame seeds. The parameters, except emergence rate index, were not affected statistically by tillage treatments. It was found that all seeds emerged in less time on conservation tillage plots with stubble.