Technological Interventions for Productivity Improvement of Sesame in Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hills Zone of Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is one of the ancient crops in the world, usually cultivated as kharif oilseed crops in India. The constraints for its low productivity are inadequate supply of nutrients and poor production practices. Technology demonstrations were conducted at 69 locations covering 29 ha area in a participatory mode using improved cultivar JTS 8 and TKG 22 (for six consecutive crop seasons) during 2007–08 to 2012–13. Line sowing was done after seed inoculation with azotobactor and PSB. Soil test based nutrients, i.e. NPK and sulphur were applied @ 60: 40: 20: 40 kg/ha. To avert the crop from weed infestation, pre emergence herbicide was applied through flat fan nozzle knapsack sprayer immediately after sowing. Results showed that an average seed yield of 538.67 and 577 kg/ha was recorded with improved cultivar JTS 8 & TKG 22, respectively, with full package under the technology demonstrations which was 90.5 and 72.64% higher over farmers’ practice (303 and 334.33 kg/ha). An additional seed yield of 235.67 and 242.67 kg/ha obtained with technology package using JTS 8 and TKG 22 cultivars, respectively, which was correspondent in 77.8 and 72.6% of the farmers’ practice yield. The economic analysis of the frontline demonstrations indicated that an additional average net return of 6518 and 6789/ha was obtained using JTS 8 and TKG 22 cultivars, respectively, with an incremental benefit cost ratio of 0.75 and 0.73 over the farmers’ practice. The cultivar wise technology gap was estimated to be 161.33 and 373 kg/ha in JTS 8 and TKG 22, respectively, however, as a whole in six consecutive crop seasons an average technology gap of 267.17 kg/ha was observed which was close to the cultivars’ potential with 31.16% technology index in the frontline demonstrations. The average extension gap in the seed yield of JTS 8 during 2007–08 to 2009–10 was observed 235.67 kg/ha, however, in case of TKG 22 it was 242.67 kg/ha during 2010–11 to 2012–13.