Response of <i>Sesamum radiatum</i> Schum vegetable and seed yield to phosphorus fertilizer under basal application of nitrogen fertilizer

Abstract

The study evaluates the effects of phosphorus fertilizer on the growth, leaf and yield components of Sesamum radiatum under basal application of nitrogen fertilizer. The field experiments were carried out concurrently at two locations viz, experimental field of National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) Ibadan; Western region of Nigeria and Research Farm of the Bio-fuel and Alternate Renewable Energy Ltd., Edidi, Kwara State in the southern Guinea savanna zone of Nigeria in 2014. Treatment consisted of four rates of phosphorus fertilizer (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1) arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Seeds were sown at inter and intra-row spacing of 50 x 40 cm. Results revealed that application of phosphorus fertilizer improved growth, leaf and yield components of Sesamum radiatum at the two locations. 90 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 and 60 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 proved to be optimum at Ibadan and Edidi respectively but the mean values of the two locations showed that 90 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 was appropriate with basal application of 80 kg N ha^-1.

Keywords:  Sesamum radiatum, Phosphorus fertilizer, Seed