Performance of Sesame Varieties (Sesamum Indicum L) as Influenced by Nitrogen Fertilizer Level and Intra Row Spacing
Performance of Sesame Varieties (Sesamum Indicum L) as Influenced by Nitrogen Fertilizer Level and Intra Row Spacing.
Abstract
A field trial was conducted to evaluate the performance of two sesame varieties (Sesamum indicum L) in response to levels of nitrogen fertilizer and intra row spacing at the research farm of Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria, during the wet seasons of 2009 and 2010.
The treatments consisted of two sesame varieties (NCRIBen001M and NCRIBen002M), four nitrogen levels (20, 40, 60 and 80 kgN/ha) and three intra row spacing (5, 10 and 15cm).
The treatments were arranged in a split plot design with the factorial combinations of nitrogen and variety assigned to the main plot and the intra row spacing placed at the sub plot.
Increasing nitrogen level from 20 to 80kgN/ha resulted in significant increase in the number of leaves, plant height, number of secondary branches, total dry matter, number of capsules, weight of capsules and seed yield, but number of primary branches showed no significant response to nitrogen level above 60kgN/ha.
The leaf area, leaf area index at 4WAS and crop growth rate at 6WAS showed no significant response to increased nitrogen.
However, subsequent sampling periods produced significant response to increased nitrogen level up to 80kgN/ha.
Narrow intra row spacing of 5cm significantly decreased the number of leaves, plant height, number of branches, total dry matter, leaf area, number of capsules, capsules yield and grain yield per plant, but showed increased leaf area index, crop growth rate and grain yield per hectare.
Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) has been recognized as a crop with a high economic potential in Nigeria, both as a source of raw materials for industries and a reliable foreign exchange earner (Alegbejo 2003; NCRI 2008).
Sesame belongs to the family Pedaliaceae and is one of the oldest cultivated oilseed crops in the world (Purseglove 1974). The genus consists of about 36 species of which 19 are indigenous to Africa (Weis 1983; Uzo 1998).
But only three species have been reported to be grown for different purpose in Nigeria namely Sesamum alatum, S indicum and S radiatum (Dabir 2000).
The most popular specie is S. indicum which has hundreds of varieties and strains with considerable variations in size, form, growth pattern, colour of flowers, seed size, seed colour and composition.
The crop is known as Beniseed in West Africa (Seegeler 1989). In Nigeria it is locally called Ridi, Ekuku, and Isasa by Hausas, Yorubas and Ibos, respectively.
Botany and Morphology of Sesame Crop
Many cultivars of sesame crop with varying characteristics existed. These can be distinguished by their branching habit, leaf morphology, fruit dehiscence and seed colour.
Sesame plant is erect annual herb growing up to 2m tall with strongly tapering taproot up to 90 cm long that bears many lateral roots.
References
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Adeyemo, M.O and Ojo,A.A.(1991). Genetic variability and associations of agronomic traits and seed of sesame (sesamum indicum L). Nigerian journal of genetics VIII: 39-40
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