Agronomic Characteristics and Yield Values of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Cultivars at Various Sowing Dates

Sesame is an essential plant in terms of both the quality and quantity of oil it contains and the fact that it can be cultivated in various places of Turkey. In Mardin Province, no studies have been conducted to determine the best time to sow sesame cultivars (Sesamum indicum L.). In this study, ten different sesame cultivars were analyzed; these were Arslanbey, Boydak, Cumhuriyet 99, Hatipoğlu, Muganlı 57, Orhangazi 99, Osmanlı 99, Sarısu, Tan 99, and Tanas. Sesame cultivars were sown as the second crop on four separate dates in these lowland environments, where it is possible to have two crops each year due to the climate of the region. Values of these cultivars such as plant height (cm), number of lateral branches (unit/plant), number of capsules (unit/plant), seed yield (kg ha-1), oil rate (%), and oil yield (kg ha-1) examined. Different sowing dates were found to have a statistically significant effect on sesame cultivars. The second sowing date resulted in the highest plant height, number of branches, number of capsules, seed yield, oil content, and oil yield (June 15). In terms of cultivars, Boydak had the largest seed production (1907 kg ha-1), Ottoman 99 (54.6%) had the highest oil rate, and Boydak had the highest oil yield (1062 kg ha-1). The Boydak cultivar is promising for high seed and oil yields in the second crop sowing, and a sowing date of June 15 is advised.