Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

Maize is an important cereal crop, influenced by plant stand and nitrogen management strategy to a greater extent. This study evaluates the impact of different plant stand densities and nitrogen management strategies on dry matter accumulation and nutrient uptake patterns in a maize-sesame cropping system, aiming to optimise productivity and resource use efficiency. The field experiment was conducted during the “rabi” and “summer” seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study was performed with a “split-plot design” with two replications. Among the different plant stands in maize, higher dry matter production was recorded at plant stand P₁ (1,11,111 plants ha^-1), which was in parity with P₂ (83,333 plants ha^-1), but the effect of plant stand on succeeding crop sesamum was found to be non-significant. With regard to nitrogen management strategies, maximum dry matter production and nutrient uptake in maize were recorded with application of nitrogen based on Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (N₄), which was significantly superior to application of nitrogen based on SPAD (N₃). Residual effect of fertilizers and its impact on dry matter production and nutrient uptake of sesame was found to be higher with N₅ (NDVI based N application) The next best treatment was RDF (N₁), which was however comparable with application of nitrogen based on NDVI (N₄) and SPAD (N₃) and the lower dry matter production and nutrient uptake was with the control in maize-sesame cropping system.