Intercultural operations

• After cultivation of the crop may be done twice, first at 15 days and the next 25-35 days after sowing.
• When the plants are about 15 cm in height, thin the crop so as to give a spacing of 15-25 cm between plants.

Irrigation

• Usually the crop is grown under rainfed conditions.
• When facilities are available, the crop may be irrigated to field capacity after thinning operation and thereafter at 15-20 days interval.
• Stop irrigation just before the pods begin to mature.
• Surface irrigation at 3 cm depth during the critical stages, viz., 4-5 leaves, branching, flowering and pod formation will increase the yield by 35-52 per cent.
• Two irrigations of 3 cm depth each in the vegetative phase (4-5 leaf stage or branching) and in reproductive phase (at flowering or pod formation) are the best, registering maximum yield and water use efficiency.
• In the case of single irrigation, it can be best given in the reproductive phase.
• In the tail end fields in command area, best use of the sparingly available water can be made for augmenting sesame production