SOWING DATES AND NITROGEN LEVEL EFFECT ON YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF SESAME CULTIVARS

The performance of sesame cultivars (Sesamum indicum L.) was evaluated using various sowing dates and nitrogenlevels at New Developmental Farm The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan during summer 2012. Theexperiment was laid out in (RCBD) with split plot arrangement having four replications. Sowing dates (20th June,10th and 30th July) and sesame cultivars (local black and local white) were allotted to main plots, while nitrogenlevels (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha^-1) were allotted to sub plots. Sowing dates had significantly affected all theparameters. Plants sown on 20th June had maximum capsules m^-2 (1130), capsules plant^-1 (102), seed capsule^-1 (69),shelling percentage (67%), 1000 seed weight (3.78 g), seed yield (1135 kg ha^-1), stover yield (6318 kg ha^-1) andharvest index (15%) as compared with other sowing dates. The cultivar local black had more capsules plant^-1 (71), seed capsule^-1 (61), seed yield (696 kg ha^-1), stover yield (4297 kg ha^-1) and harvest index (14%) as compared to cultivar local white. Nitrogen application had also significantly affected all parameters. Plots treated with 120 kg N ha^-1 produced maximum capsules m^-2 (951), capsules plant^-1 (86), seed capsule^-1 (70), shelling percentage (70%), 1000 seed weight (4.08 g), seed yield (833 kg ha^-1), stover yield (5351 kg ha^-1) and harvest index (15%). The interaction between sowing dates, nitrogen level and sesame cultivars showed that crop sown on 20th June with local black cultivar and treated with 120 kg N ha^-1 had maximum capsules plant-1 (128), seed capsule^-1 (82), seed yield (1599 kg ha^-1) and stover yield (9223 kg ha^-1) but its harvest index was significantly lower than cultivar local white. Local black cultivar sown on 20th June treated with 120 kg N ha^-1 seemed to be the best choice for sesame producer in the agro-ecological condition of Peshawar valley.