PHENOLOGICAL AND YIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L.) AS AFFECTED BY NITROGEN AND PHOSPHOROUS RATES IN MUBI, NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during the 2005 and 2006 cropping seasons at theTeaching and Research Farm of Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria (10015' N, 13016' Eand 696 m above sea level) to study the effect of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) rates on somephenological and yield characteristics of sesame. The treatments consisted of four N rates: 0, 30,60 and 90 kg ha-1and four P rates: 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg ha-1. These treatments in factorialcombinations were laid out in split plot design with N rates assigned to main plots and P ratesassigned to sub plots and were replicated four times. The following data were collected onphenological and yield characteristics: days to 50 % flowering, days to 50 % maturity, weight ofbiomass at eight weeks after sowing (WAS) and at harvest, dry weight of leaves at 8 WAS and atharvest, number of pods per plant and total seed yield. Results showed significant (P < 0.05) effecton all characteristics, except number of leaves at 8 WAS and days to 50 % maturity in bothcropping seasons. Similarly, there were significant effects of N rates on dry weight of leaves,weight of biomass at harvest and number of pods per plant up to a maximum of 90 kg N ha-1. Prates showed no significant effect on all characteristics measured. There was an interactionbetween cropping seasons and N rates on weight of biomass at 8 WAS and number of pods perplant. It was therefore concluded that application of N had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on someyield characteristics of sesame in Mubi. P rates up to 45 kg ha-1however, had no significant (P >0.05) effect on phenological and yield characteristics. Further research needs to be conducted on Nand P rates above 90 and 45 kg ha-1, respectively, to ascertain effects of optimum rates of N and Pon sesame phenological and yield characteristics. In addition, the method of P application in theform of side dressing 2 to 3 WAS should be considered for possible effects.