Sesamum Technology: A Crop Diversification Alternative in Punjab

Abstract

Sesamum can play an important role in crop diversification in specific locations. Due to its good demand in
local market there is a need to raise the Sesamum production through increase in area and productivity. To
promote its new technology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana has conducted frontline demonstrations
in Punjab during Kharif, 2016 for testing and popularizing Sesamum variety in Punjab Til No.2. The study
based on 8 front-line demonstrations conducted in Amritsar district of Punjab reveals that the cultivation of
Sesamum can be a viable alternative to paddy crop under scarce water resources in general and for small
farmers, in particular, having lesser staying power to get assured irrigations. The sesamum variety recorded
plant height (138.78 cm), no. of plants /m2 (52), no. of pods /plant (99.5), weight of 100 seeds (3.46 g), and
no. of seeds/pod (100.5). The demonstrated technology recorded grain yield 5.50 q/ha which is 83.96 per
cent higher yield than local check variety. The benefit-cost (B:C) ratio of this technology was 1.01. The
insect pest and diseases were in the range of 0.25 to 1.50 and 0.25 to 2.50 per cent respectively. The
technology gap, extension gap and technology index were 1.50 q ha-1, 2.55 q ha-1 and 21.42 per cent
respectively. It was also observed that the productivity of Sesamum can be doubled with the help of available
advanced technology.