Growth, Mineral Composition, and Seed Oil of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) as Affected by Boron and Exchangeable Sodium

Abstract

AbstractA solution culture boron experiment was conducted with sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) to show the effects of excessive B. The boron content of leaf blades, petioles, and stems was highly correlated with substrate boron. The leaf blades contained the highest amount of boron, and the stems the least. Concentrations of 5 mg B/liter or higher inhibited growth, seed production, and resulted in a leaf necrosis and premature leaf drop. Foliage of plants receiving excess B contained > 700 µg B/g on a dry weight basis.An exchangeable sodium experiment using clay soil with and without a synthetic soil conditioner showed that yields were sharply reduced at an ESP level of 15 or greater. Leaf blade sodium was higher for the treatments without the soil conditioner but in both series (± conditioner), 50% growth depression was associated with leaf values of about 0.4% Na. Potassium and Mg in the leaf blades did not vary significantly, and although calcium was decreased 50% with increasing ESP, no visual deficiency symptoms were detected. The oil content of the seed was decreased slightly with ESP levels of about 25.