The effect of planting pattern and plant density on grain yield and yield components of sesame (Sesamum indicum, L) in Mashhad region

Determining the optimal planting pattern and plant density plays a decisive role in achieving optimal yields in crops, including sesame. In order to determine the best planting pattern and plant density, an experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 in Mashhad region with cold and dry climate. The experiment was performed as a factorial in the form of a basic randomized complete block design with three replications. In this research, experimental treatments including planting pattern (cultivation of one and two rows on the ridge), plant density (20, 30 and 40 plants per square meter) and sesame genotypes (Esfarayen local variety and Oltan cultivar) were examined. The results showed that changing cultivation pattern from one-row to two-rows reduced grain yield by 19% in Oltan cultivar and 15% in Esfarayen genotype. In addition, the results indicated that in Esfarayen genotype and in one-row planting pattern, increasing plant density not only did not increase grain yield but also in the higher plant density caused a significant lower grain yield compared to the other plant densities. In Oltan cultivar and in one-row planting pattern, changes in plant density had no significant effect on grain yield. However, in comparison between the two genotypes and in one-row planting pattern, the grain yield of Oltan cultivar was higher in each plant density treatment compared to the Esfarayen genotype. In addition, results revealed that Oltan cultivar with 567 kgha-1 grain yield compared to Esfarayen local genotype with 522 kgha-1 grain yield, significantly performed better. In general, as a promotional recommendation for sesame cultivation in Mashhad region, we can suggest that cultivation of Oltan cultivar in one row on the ridge with a density of 20 plants per square meter.