Effect of Irrigation Frequency on Growth, Yield and Nutritional Quality of Sesamum indicum in a Semi-Arid Region in Morocco
Effect of Irrigation Frequency on Growth, Yield and Nutritional Quality of Sesamum indicum in a Semi-Arid Region in Morocco
PDFAuthors:
Volume/Issue: Volume 29: Issue 1
Published online: 18 Jun 2026
Pages: 40–46
Abstract
Commonly referred to as the “Queen of Oilseeds”, Sesamum indicum is widely recognized for its nutritional value and health-promoting properties. Currently, water stress is one of the main factors limiting sesame production, particularly in regions experiencing prolonged drought periods, such as semi-arid areas of Morocco. One effective approach to mitigate this constraint is the rational use of irrigation water; therefore, it is necessary to understand plant responses to different irrigation regimes. The objective of this study was to establish an appropriate irrigation schedule to optimize the agronomic performance of sesame under semi-arid conditions. A field experiment was conducted at the National Agency of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Taounate using a randomized complete block design with irrigation intervals. Growth parameters (plant height, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, capsule length, and 1000-seed weight), yield parameters (seed yield, biological yield, and harvest index), and biochemical traits (oil and protein contents) were evaluated. Analysis of variance revealed that irrigation intervals significantly affected all measured parameters. Irrigation conducted every 3 days resulted in the highest plant height (84.08 cm), number of capsules (38.05), number of seeds per capsule (49.6), capsule length (30.2 mm), and 1000-seed weight (3 g), followed by irrigation intervals of 6, 9, and 15 days. The maximum seed yield (1,222.66 kg ha−1), biological yield (4,241.33 kg ha−1), and harvest index (31.89%) were obtained from plants irrigated every 6 days. Biochemically, the highest oil content (49.83%) was recorded in plants irrigated every 6 days, followed by those irrigated every 3, 9, and 15 days. In contrast, the highest protein content (22.63%) was observed under the 15-day irrigation interval. A negative correlation was found between total seed oil and total protein contents.
Keywords: Sesamum indicum, irrigation, plant growth, yield, protein, oil
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