IMPROVING GROWTH, YIELD QUALITY AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF SESAME PLANTS BY FOLIAR APPLICATION OF ASCORBIC ACID, BENZYL ADENINE AND PACLOBUTRAZOL

The effect of ascorbic acid (50 and 100 ppm), benzyl adenine (50 and 100 ppm) and paclobutrazol (25 and 50 ppm) foliar application on growth, yield and some physiological parameters of sesame (Sesamum indicum var. Shandawil 3) plants were determined. All treatments caused a great improvement in growth parameters (shoot height, root lengths and number of leaves as well as fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots) of the developed plants. Paclobutrazol was more effective than other treatments in enhancing chlorophyll contents and carotenoid content. The results also showed that nearly all of the treatments tended to increase total soluble carbohydrates and protein contents in sesame plants. The changes in proteolytic, amylolytic and lipolytic activities were also recorded. This was associated by improving yield quality and the nutritional value of the seeds. The effect of paclobutrazol was superior to that of ascorbic acid, benzyl adenine on increasing yield components. The percentage of the highest lipid was recorded by 50 ppm of ascorbic acid, whereas the highest carbohydrates and proteins of the yielded seeds were observed with plants treated with 100 ppm benzyl adenine.