SEED YIELD AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN SESAME (Sesamum indicum L.) AS AFFECTED BY SILICON APPLICATION UNDER A SEMI-ARID CLIMATE

Abstract

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a short duration, low input and highly drought tolerant conventional oilseed crop with high edible seed oil contents. This study was aimed to evaluate the response of four sesame genotypes to silicon (Si) application under a semi-arid climate. For this study, we hypothesized that Si application may improve seed yield, oil contents and fatty acid composition in sesame. The experimental design was a two factor-factorial randomized complete block, replicated four times, and the treatments were four sesame genotypes (TS-3, SG-120, SG-169 and SG-170) and three Si levels (0, 22 and 44 kg ha-1). The data was analyzed statistically with the ‘Statistics 8.1’ software. The genotype TS-3 had the highest (p£0.05) seed yield (479.1 kg ha-1), oil content (40.2%), oleic acid (41.8%), and the lowest content of palmitic acid (6.37%) and linoleic acid (38.5%). Silicon application significantly enhanced the seed yield, oil and unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic acid) contents and reduced the saturated fatty acid (palmitic and stearic acid) over control. The highest seed yield (487.8 kg ha-1), oil contents (38%), oleic acid (40.9%), linoleic acid (41.7%), as well as the lowest palmitic acid (6.49%) and stearic acid (3.66%) were recorded with the application of 44 kg Si ha-1. The seed yield of sesame genotypes followed the order TS-3>SG-120>SG-169>SG-170.