EFFECT OF SELENIUM (Se) NANOPARTICLES TO MITIGATE DROUGHT STRESS AND IMPROVE GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF SESAME (Sesamum indicum L.)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the Agronomy Shade House, Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh from May 2024 to July 2024. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar application of Selenium (Se) nanoparticles on mitigating drought stress and improving growth, yield, and physiological parameters of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.,) variety BINA Til-3. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with eight Se nanoparticle treatments namely (T0 = Control, T1 = 5 ppm, T2 = 10 ppm, T3 =15 ppm,T4 = 20 ppm, T5 = 25 ppm, T6= 30 ppm, T7= 35 ppm).The experiment consisted with three replications i.e., 24 pots during the Kharif season from May 2024 to July 2024.Results demonstrated that moderate Se dose T5 = 25 ppm significantly improved number of leaves, leaf area, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic pigments, while enhancing cell membrane stability and water retention under drought stress. Treatment T5 exhibited the highest chlorophyll content (58.03 SPAD at 28 DAS) and optimal leaf morphology and achieved the maximum seed yield (1.22 t/ha), a 103% increase over the control. Higher Se concentrations (≥30 ppm) showed diminishing returns or potential toxicity, as evidenced by reduced growth and yield. Physiological analyses revealed that Se application enhanced antioxidant activity, proline accumulation and nutrient uptake (N, K) contributing to improved drought tolerance. The study concluded that foliar application of Se NPs at T5is optimal for enhancing sesame productivity under drought conditions, offering a sustainable strategy to combat water scarcity in sesame cultivation. These findings align with global research on nanotechnology in agriculture, highlighting Se NPs as a promising tool for stress mitigation and yield improvement in oilseed crops.