Abstract

Field trials were conducted during the rainy seasons of 2005, 2006 and 2007 to study the contributions of some growth characters to the seed yield of sesame. The experiments consisted of four levels of poultry manure (0, 5.0, 10.0 and 15.0 t ha^-1), three levels of nitrogen in the form of urea (0, 60 and 120 kg N ha^-1) and three levels of phosphorus in the form of single super phosphate (0, 13.2 and 26.4 kg P ha^-1). The thirty-six treatment combinations were laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. The factorial combination of N and P were assigned to the main plot, while poultry manure was assigned to the sub-plot. All growth characters measured (plant height, leaf area index, number of branches per plant, and total dry matter per plant), correlated positively and significantly (p = 0.05) with the yield throughout the years of experimentation and the mean of the three years. The highest direct contribution among the growth parameters to seed yield when the three years data was combined was from total dry matter per plant (0.782a) followed by leaf area index (0.782a). Similarly, when the three years data was combined, Path coefficient analysis revealed that the combined contribution of two growth characters to seed yield was made by plant height and total dry matter (0.407). The highest percent contribution to seed yield was made by and via total dry matter per plant (61.171 and 11.659%) when the data was combined. Total dry matter should therefore be considered as the most important traits among growth characters of this crop in the determination of seed yield per unit area and selection of parents.

Key words: Total dry matter, leaf area index, number of branches, correlation, path analysis, percent contribution.