NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND USE EFFICIENCY AS INFLUENCED BY INTEGRATED APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS AND NANO FERTILIZERS IN SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L.)

Abstract

Nutrient management plays a vital role in determining crop growth, yield, and quality in sesame. Nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency are important indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of fertilizer management practices. Nutrient management practices that ensure balanced basal application and sustained nutrient availability are critical for optimizing crop performance. The experiment was conducted during Kharif 2025–26 at the Research Farm, ICAR- Project Coordinating Unit (Sesame and Niger), College of Agriculture, JNKVV, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, neutral in reaction and medium in available nutrients. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with fourteen treatments and three replications. Seed yield ranged from 290 to 758 kg ha⁻¹. The highest yield was recorded in T13 (758 kg ha⁻¹), followed by T12 (738 kg ha⁻¹) and T3 (726 kg ha⁻¹), Similarly, higher nutrient content and uptake was recorded in T13, while highest nitrogen use efficiency was recorded in T10 (64.89%) with combined application of fertilizers and nano fertilizers, followed closely by T9 (63.56%) and T3 (62.30%). Conventional RDF treatments (T1, T2, T6) showed moderate values (35–47%), highest phosphorus use efficiency was observed in T10 (32.86%), followed by T9 (31.30%) and T8 (27.44%). Treatments with nano fertilizer supplementation (T8–T10) consistently improved PUE compared to conventional RDF. The highest potassium use efficiency was recorded in T12 (62.19%). Split application of nitrogen proved most beneficial, maximizing both seed and stalk yields. Nano-fertilizer supplementation further enhanced productivity, highlighting its potential as a complementary strategy to conventional fertilization. Nutrient content in seed and stover was strongly influenced by fertilizer management practices. Nutrient uptake was significantly influenced by fertilizer management. proved most effective, ensuring maximum N, P, and K uptake. Split nitrogen application combined with balanced basal P and K enhanced nutrient assimilation, while nano-fertilizer supplementation offered additional benefits. Unfertilized control showed severe nutrient depletion, reinforcing the necessity of integrated nutrient management for sustaining crop productivity. Nutrient use efficiency was significantly influenced by fertilizer management strategies. Split nitrogen application also enhanced efficiency, particularly for potassium. Nano-fertilizer supplementation demonstrated clear benefits, reinforcing its role as a complementary strategy to conventional fertilization for improving nutrient utilization and crop productivity.