Effect of Sowing Date on the Performance of Two Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Cultivars under Irrigation at Kennana, Sudan

Abstract

The effect of five sowing dates (15/6, 1/7, 15/7, 1/8 and 15/8)
on phonology and yield of two sesame cultivars grown under irrigation
was studied at Kennana Sugarcane Research Farm during 2001and 2002
seasons. The results showed that plants sown earlier (June sowing)
significantly took more days to 50% flowering and physiological maturity
than the late-sown plants (August sowing) in both seasons. In contrast, no
significant difference between the cultivars was recorded in number of
days to 50% flowering. Seed yield and yield components were
significantly affected by sowing date. Early-sown plants (mid June) gave
100% and 75% higher seed yield than the late-sown plants (mid August)
in the first and the second season, respectively. The higher seed yield of
the early-sown plants was associated with high number of capsules,
number of seeds per capsule and seed weight. The cultivar Promo
significantly exceeded Khidir in seed yield, capsule setting and in number
of seeds per capsule particularly in the first season. It can be concluded
that the optimum sowing date for sesame under irrigation at Kennana is
mid June, and that the cultivar Promo is more promising than the cultivar
Khidir