Abstract

AVILA, Jesús M  and  GRATEROL, Yván E. Planting date, row spacing and fertilizer effects on growth and yield of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Bioagro [online]. 2005, vol.17, n.1, pp.35-40. ISSN 1316-3361.

In the producing areas in Venezuela, the yield of sesame approaches only 500 kg∙ha^-1. As a way to obtain yield increases the effects of sowing dates, row spacing and fertilization were evaluated. The experiment was conducted in Turén, Portuguesa State, Venezuela, during the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 crop seasons. A split-split-plot design with four replications was used. Four fertilizer treatments were allocated to the main plot (control, 250 kg∙ha^-1 of diammonium phosphate, and chinese a cowpea beans incorporated into soil as green cover crops). Sowing dates (three different dates between December and January) were placed on the subplot. Row spacing was placed on the sub-subplot (0.60, 0.30 and 0.15 m between rows). It was evaluated the plant height, number of pods per plant, and grain yield. The fertilizer effect was not consistent on the two seasons. There was no consistent effect on plant height, but the number of pods per plant increased continuously toward the higher row spacing. Grain yields tended to decrease as planting date was delayed in both seasons. Greater grain yields were found at the lowest row spacing (0.15 m), reaching 3.8 and 1.8 more yield than those obtained at 0.60 and 0.30 m row spacing, respectively. The yield increase using the lowest spaced rows (0.15 m) allows this practice to be advised to the sesame farmers in the zone.

Keywords : Cultural practices; organic fertilizer; planting density.