Olowe V.I.O.
Abstract
Field experiments were conducted during the late cropping seasons of 1990-1992 at Badeggi (9o 4’, 46o 7’E), an experimental station located in the guinea savanna region of Nigeria to determine the expression of some shoot characteristics of sesame as influenced by row spacing, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) application. Results indicated that in 1990, increase in inter row spacing significantly (P<0.05) reduced height to first capsule and branch, and number of branches per plant. Whereas, intra-row spacing significantly (P<0.05) reduced height to first capsule when increased from 5 to 15 cm in 1990, and increased number of branches per plant in 1991 with 15 cm recording the highest value (3.4). Number of branches per plant significantly increased with N application compared with the control in both years. P application at 30 and 60 kg P2O5/ha ,however, significantly increased sesame height at maturity compared with the control in both years and height to first capsule in 1991. Inter-row spacing of 60cm recorded the highest grain yield of 315.10 and 90.1 kg/ha in 1990 and 1991, respectively.
Key words:
nitrogen, phosphorus, row spacing, sesame, shoot characteristics.