Emergence and initial growth of sesame under variations in irrigation water quality and proportion of plant ash

Under saline conditions, the seed germination process is often impaired. Thus, the use of organic residues may represent an alternative to mitigate salt stress in plants. This study aimed to investigate sesame seed germination and early growth, considering the influence of irrigation water quality and the proportion of plant ash in the substrate. Conducted at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, the experiment tested different proportions of sugarcane bagasse ash [0%, 13%, 26%, 40%, 54%] and irrigation water qualities (0.3, 1.8, and 4.1 dS m-1). The ashes did not mitigate the effects of irrigation water salinity, and their increase had negative effects on emergence percentage. However, an ash proportion of up to 13.7% increased the emergence speed index when non-saline water (0.3 dS m-1, control) was used, but under saline water conditions, it caused detrimental effects. Average emergence time and average emergence speed showed positive results with ash proportions up to 21% when non-saline water was used. Plant height, stem diameter, and root length were negatively affected by higher ash proportions in the substrate, especially under irrigation with saline water.