Interactive Effect of Salinity and Phosphorus on Sesame

A solution culture experiment was conducted with a short‐season sesame [ Sesamum indicum L. (Selection 333)] to observe interactive effects of osmotic potential (−0.4, −1.4, −2.4, and −4.4 bars NaCl added to a complete nutrient solution), and P concentration (0.5, 5, 25, and 50 mg P/liter) on water relations, mineral nutrition, and yield characteristics. Salinity reduced yields linearly with a 50% decrease in pod yield at an osmotic potential of approximately −2.7 bars. Increasing P concentrations increased yields only at low salinity levels; at higher salinity levels, yields decreased progressively as P increased. Salt tolerance was reduced by the higher P additions. A multiple regression equation for pod yield as a function of salinity and P in combination was developed ( R 2 = 0.76). Leaf water potential at the early flowering stage decreased with pod yield as salinity and P concentrations increased. Leaf NO 3 concentrations decreased as salinity increased.