Protein and Free Amino Acid Composition of Sesame Meal as Affected by Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Nutrition

Abstract

AbstractProtein and free amino acid composition of lipid‐free sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) meal was studied for effects of increasing substrate levels of N, P, and K in sand culture experiments. Concentrations of individual protein amino acids were increased in the seed meal with increasing substrate levels of N and K nutrition due primarily to increases in protein content. Increasing P supply had no significant effect on amino acid composition.Increasing levels of N resulted in increases in nonamino acid forms of N. Nitrogen increased individual free amino acids while P had no effect. Potassium deficiency resulted in accumulations of all individual free amino acids except cystine. These accumulations coupled with the observed decreases in protein amino acids in K‐deficient plants support the view that adequate K supply is required for proper utilization of amino acids in protein synthesis.The pattern of essential amino acids expressed as a fraction of the total essential amino acids was little affected by N, P, and K nutrition when compared to the large increases resulting from increased seed yield and meal protein content.