Agricultural and Biological Research

Effect of mineral fertilizer combinations on physiological and agronomic performance of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in Burkina Faso

Badoua Badiel*, Rasmata Nana, Razacswende Fanta Ouedraogo, Pascal Adama Kihindo, Edmond Dondasse, Et Zoumbiesse Tamini

Most soils in Burkina Faso are tropical ferruginous soils, characterized by poor structural stability of the surface horizons due to their high content of fine silt and sand. For this reason, the sesame variety S42 was studied under field conditions with mineral fertilization. The overall objective was to determine the dose combination of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) mineral fertilizer and urea that would optimize sesame production. To this end, a trial was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block design (RCB). The following treatments were applied: T0: 0 kg/ha fertilizer (control), T1: 50 kg/ha urea, T2: 50 kg/ha NPK, T3: 50 kg/ha NPK+50 kg/ ha urea, T4: 100 kg/ha NPK, T5: 100 kg/ha NPK+50 kg/ha urea, T6: 150 kg/ha NPK and T7: 150 kg/ha NPK+50 kg/ha urea. The results showed that fertilizer treatments had no effect on emergence date or cycle length, but treatments T5, T6 and T7 lengthened the start of flowering and the 50% flowering date by one day. Treatment T7 produced the tallest plants (150.3 cm/plant), the most vigorous (20.9 mm at crown) and the highest above-ground dry biomass (77 g/plant). Treatments T5, T6 and T7 produced one more branch. Treatments T4 and T6 produced the highest root dry biomass (19.8 g/plant). Treatments T7 (203.7 capsules) and T5 (191.1 capsules) produced more capsules per plant. There were no significant differences between treatments in terms of number of nodes, capsule size or 1000-seed weight. Plants from treatments T7 (76.2 seeds/capsule), T6 (75.2 seeds/capsule) and T5 (76 seeds/capsule) produced more seeds per capsule. Treatment T7 produced the highest seed yield (41.5 g/plant) and the highest harvest index (0.44). It is therefore recommended.