EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SESAME (SESAMUM indicum L.) VARIETIES IN SUDAN SAVANNAH

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at the Lake Chad Research Institute, research station Maiduguri (Lat: 11⁰ 50^' N; Long: 13⁰ 10^' E) during 2014 cropping season to determine the effect of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) fertilizer combinations on sesame varieties. Treatments comprised of five sesame varieties (NCRIBen-02M, NCRIBen-03L, NCRIBen -04E, NCRIBen -05E and Gwoza local) and three fertilizer treatments: control and two levels of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) fertilizers combinations (25 kg N + 20 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 and 50 kg N + 40 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with varieties on the main plots and fertilizer on the sub-plots and replicated four times. Data was collected on plant height, days to 50% flowering and capsule formation, capsule length, Number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule and yield. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and the results showed significant differences among the characters studied. The varieties NCRIBen-04E and NCRIBen-02M fertilized with 25 kg N + 20 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 produced over 600 % higher yield than Gwoza local grown under control fertilizer. The growing of varieties NCRIBen -04E or NCRIBen-02M under 25 kg N + 20 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 is suggested for farmers in the Sudan Savannah for high yield of sesame.