Research & Reviews: Journal of Crop Science and Technology

ISSN: 2319-3395 (Online)

Volume 6, Issue 1
www.stmjournals.com

Production Potential, Energetics and Economic Analysis

of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Cultivation: A Case
Study from Damodar Command Area, West Bengal
Bera R.1, Seal A.1,*, Das T.H.1, Sarkar D.1, Chatterjee A.K.2, Roy Chowdhury R.3
1
National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
2
Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan,
West Bengal, India
3
Inhana Organic Research Foundation, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Abstract
Sesame is one of the major oilseed crop grown in India and it was selected as an alternate
crop option due to its suitability in a wide range of agro-ecological environments. A field
experiment was conducted in the irrigated ecosystem under Damodar Command area, West
Bengal taking sesame variety ‘Rama’. Crop yield varied from 8.2 to 11.2 quintal/ha in
different soil series with highest yield obtained from Naopara soil series. Energy use
efficiency also followed the similar trend as yield performance and varied from 2.07 to 3.01.
Benefit cost ratio was found to have varied from 1.92 to 2.62. Higher benefit- cost ratio and
relatively low cultivation expenditure might help out small and marginal farmers to adopt
sesame as an alternate crop option.

Keywords: Soil series, soil-site suitability, sesame, economics, energetics, correlation

coefficient

*Author for Correspondence E-mail: antaraseal77@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION West Bengal alone accounts for 25% of the

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) commonly total sesame production in India. The other
known as til is an ancient oilseed crop of India major sesame -producing states are Gujarat,
[1]. It was a major oilseed crop in the ancient Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra,
world due to its great stability, resistance to Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh [4].
drought, and easy oil extraction. Sesame was
domesticated and cultivated in the Indian It could be a suitable summer crop due to its
subcontinent during Harappan and Anatolian low irrigation requirements as well as low
eras [2]. It is grown in an area of 7.54 million incidence of diseases and pest. Besides, low
hectares of the world having a production of management cost can also help the small and
3.34 million tonnes; with a productivity of 443 marginal farmers to adopt this crop. So the
kg ha-1. India is the largest producer of sesame study was aimed (i) to evaluate the soil-site
in the world. It also ranks first in the world in suitability of sesame in the study area (ii) to
terms of sesame-growing area (about 1.8 work out energetics and economic viability
million hectares) accounting for 24% of the through field trial and (iii) to examine the
total sesame cultivated area in the world with a effect of different soil properties on sesame
total production of 0.76 million tonnes and yield.
productivity of 422 kg ha-1 [3].
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The crop is now grown in a wide range of A field experiment was conducted in three
agro-ecological environments, extending from villages viz., Syamsundarpur, Naopara and
semi-arid tropics and subtropics to temperate Kantia of Barddhaman district in West Bengal
regions. At the same time, the crop has a large during crop year 2002 and 2003. Soil samples
diversity in cultivars and cultural systems. were collected and analyzed for

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Production Potential and Economic Analysis of Sesame Bera et al.

physiochemical characteristics as described by fertilizer were applied during final land

Jackson [5]. Soil site suitability was calculated preparation and remaining half of nitrogen
according to Sys et al. [6]. fertilizer at 30–35 days after sowing.

The field experiment was conducted on Various agronomic data were recorded during
varying soil series taking four soil series as the crop growth and the crop was later
main plots and cultivating sesame (variety: harvested at maturity for recording the yield
‘Rama’) as test crop. The trial was laid out in a for each plot. The energy audit in terms of
factorial randomized block design with two energy input, output and energy use efficiency
treatments: control (N0P0K0) and along with economic analysis was worked out
recommended dose (N80P40K40) of fertilizer for the entire span of sesame cultivation
having three replications in each soil series. according to Mittal et al. and Sita Devi [7,8].
Half of nitrogen fertilizer and total P and K

Pic. 1: Sesame Cultivation in the Study Area.

Table 1: Soil Properties of Selected Soil Series.

Depth pH Org. C Clay C.E. C. B.S.
B.D. Field capacity A.W.C.
(cm) (H2O) (g kg-1) (%) (cmol(p+)kg-1) (%)
Syamsundarpur I: Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic, Typic Haplustepts
0–16 6.4 4.4 18.5 10.2 79 1.52 27.40 14.4
16–38 6.7 2.1 24.3 12.0 84 1.49 28.90 14.4
Syamsundarpur II: Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic, Typic Haplustepts
0–14 6.0 9.8 36.9 18.5 79 1.47 31.92 16.6
14–35 7.0 2.1 40.2 19.6 96 1.43 33.27 17.6
Naopara: Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic, Aeric Endoaquepts
0–10 5.3 9.8 34.9 14.6 72 1.46 31.32 16.0
10–38 6.5 3.1 41.8 17.9 89 1.43 33.63 17.2
Kantia: Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic, Typic Endoaquepts
0–15 6.0 7.3 57.4 22.4 79 1.42 35.29 18.9
15–36 6.7 2.5 45.3 24.6 85 1.40 34.10 18.4

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Research & Reviews: Journal of Crop Science and Technology
Volume 6, Issue 1
ISSN: 2319-3395 (Online)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Limitation approach has been used to identify

Soil Properties suitability class according to their number and
Four soil series have been identified in the intensity of limitations. Suitability classes are
study area through detailed soil survey on marked as highly suitable (S1), moderately
1:4000 scales [9]. Syamsundarpur I soil series suitable (S2), marginally suitable (S3) and N1
(SM I) developed on high land are deep, well as temporally unsuitable. The study reveals
drained with loam surface soil and classified that SM I, SM II and NA soil series were
as fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic Typic highly suitable (S1) for sesame cultivation with
Haplustepts. Syamsundarpur II soil series (SM a mere limitation of drainage, organic carbon
II) developed on medium land are deep, and base saturation, where as KA soil series
moderately well drained with silty clay loam was marginally suitable (S3) for sesame
surface soil and classified as fine, mixed, cultivation with severe limitation of drainage
hyperthermic Typic Haplustepts. Naopara soil and texture. The sesame variety ‘Rama’ was
series (NA) developed on medium land are tested in four soil series. According to
deep, imperfectly drained with clay loam agronomic growth observed, comparatively
surface soil and classified as fine, mixed, more main branch/plant was in NA series
hyperthermic Aeric Endoaquepts. followed by SM II, KA and SM I soil series.
Average capsule/plant was also highest
Kantia soil series (KA) developed on lowland (82/plant) in the plants cultivated in NA soil
are deep, poorly drained with clay surface soil series. The results (Table 2) show that sesame
and classified as fine, mixed, hyperthermic production was highest in NA (11.2 Q/ha)
Typic Endoaquept. The surface soils are acidic followed by SM II (10.1 Q/ha), SM I (9.8
to neutral with pH varying from 5.3 to 6.4 Q/ha) and KA (8.2 Q/ha).
(Table 1). The organic carbon content varied
from 4.4 to 9.8 gkg-1. C.E.C. of the soils were Energetics
medium (10.2 to 22.4 cmol (p+) kg-1) with The total energy input in different soil series
high base saturation (72–79 percent). Field ranged from 9024 to 9434 MJ/ha (Table 3). In
capacity and available water holding capacity general, nitrogen fertilizer accounted for single
showed that the soils are highly capable of largest share of energy input followed by
containing soil moisture except SM I soil diesel and human labour. The energy input
series. through seeds, plant protection chemicals,
potash and phosphorus fertilizer was of lower
Soil-site Suitability and Crop Yield magnitude. Energy use efficiency in sesame
Soil resource information generated through cultivation was highest in NA soil series
soil survey was used to evaluate soil-site followed by SM II, SM I and KA soil series.
suitability of sesame in the study area.

Table 2: Soil-site Suitability and Agronomic Parameters of Sesame Cultivation.

Agronomic parameters
Soil Grain
Suitability Limitation Branches Capsules
series Treatment yield
(no/plant) (no/plant)
(Q/ha)
T1: Control 4.6 51 5.5
SM I S1 No Limitation T2: Recommended dose of
5.1 76 9.8
NPK
T1: Control 4.6 52 5.5
SMII S1 No Limitation T2: Recommended dose of
5.4 74 10.1
NPK
T1: Control 5.0 54 6.1
NA S1 No Limitation T2: Recommended dose of
5.6 82 11.2
NPK
T1: Control 4.3 47 3.8
Texture, drainage and org.
KA S3 T2: Recommended dose of
matter 5.2 64 8.2
NPK

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Production Potential and Economic Analysis of Sesame Bera et al.

Table 3: Energetics and Economics of Sesame Cultivation.

Energetics Economics
Soil
series Energy Energy Energy Gross Net Benefit-cost
input/ha output/ha efficiency income/ha profit/ha ratio
SM I 9434 24500 2.60 12740 7178 2.29
SM II 9270 25250 2.72 13130 7568 2.36
NA 9301 28000 3.01 14560 8998 2.62
KA 9024 20500 2.27 10660 5098 1.92

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ISSN: 2319-3395 (Online)

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