Effect of nitrogen fertilizer level and intra row spacing on growth and yield of sesame (sesamum indicun l) varieties.

A field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of two sesame varieties in response to nitrogen fertilizer level and intra row spacing at the Research Farm of Institue for Agricultural Research Samaru in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria, during the wet seasons of 2009 and 2010. The treatments consisting of four nitrogen levels (20, 40, 60 and 80kgN/ha), three intra row spacing (5,10 and 15cm) and two varieties (NCRIBen001M and NCRIBen002M), were arranged in a split plot design with three replications. The factorial combinations of nitrogen level and variety were assigned to the main plot, while intra row spacing was placed at the sub plot. A comparison of interactive effects of nitogen level and intra row spacing produced highest values for number of leaves, number of primary branches, shoot dry matter, capsule yield and grain yield per plant at 80 KgN/ha and 15cm intra row spacing, while the least values were obtained at 20kgN/ha and 5cm intra row spacing. leaf area index, crop growth rate and grain yield per hectare recorded highest values at 80kgN/ha and 5cm and the least values at 20kgN/ha and 15cm. The intractions of variety and intra row spacing showed a decreased leaf area index, crop growth rate and grain yield per hectare of both varieties with increased intra row spacing. However, NCRIBen001M significantly produced higher values for these characters at 5cm intra row spacing than NCRIBen002M. The study concluded that application of 80kgN/ha at 5cm intra row spacing produced the highest grain yield of both