EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER AND SOWING METHODS ON YIELD OF SESAME (Sesamum indicum L.) VARIETIES IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Field experiment was conducted at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching and Research farm, Bauchi in 2018, 2019 and 2020 rainy seasons to study effect of nitrogen fertilizer and sowing method on growth and yield of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) varieties. The treatments consisted of four levels of nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N/ha), three sowing methods (dibbling, drilling and broadcasting) and two varieties of sesame (Ex-Sudan 1 and NCRI BEN 01M). The experiment was factorially combined and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design, replicated three times. The result of the experiment revealed that, nitrogen fertilizer had significant (P≤0.05) effect on yield characters of sesame. Application of nitrogen fertilizer at 60kg/ha significantly (P≤0.05) increased number of flowers, total ash, crude fibre, crude protein, ether extract, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule and yield/hectare in the 3-year study. It was also observed that, sowing method had significant (P≤0.05) influence on the performance of the crop. Dibbling method of sowing significantly (P≤0.05) produced higher number of flowers, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule and yield/hectare than the other two sowing methods. Studies carried out during the 3 years investigation revealed that 2020 rainy season produced significantly (P≤0.05) higher numbers of flowers, capsules per plant, seeds per capsule and grain yield/hectare than 2018 and 2019 seasons. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the application of 60kg N/ha and dibbling method of planting can be adopted by farmers in the study area for optimum yield.