Yield Performance of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Varieties as Influenced by Sowing Dates and Intra-Row Spacing in the Sudan Savanna, Nigeria

Bilocation trials were conducted in 2023 wet season to investigate the productivity of sesame varieties as influence by varieties, sowing date and intra-row spacing at the Teaching and Research Farm of Federal University Dutsin-Ma and College of Agriculture, Hassan Usman Polytechnic, Katsina. The treatments were 3 sesame varieties (EX-SUDAN, KENANA-4 and E8), 3 sowing dates (First, second and third weeks of July), and 4 intra-row spacings (10cm, 15cm, 20cm and 25cm). Using a split plot design with sowing dates and intra-row spacing as main plot treatments and variety as sub-plot treatment and replicated 3 times. EX-SUDAN was better than other varieties in term of number of capsules, number of seeds per capsule, 1000 seed weight, seed yield per plant and seed oil yield. Additionally, EX-SUDAN produced more seeds per hectare in Dutsin-Ma (659.19 kg ha-1) and Katsina (596.44 kg ha-1). Second week of July had higher seed output per hectare in Dutsin-Ma (696.31 kg ha-1) and Katsina (608.31 kg ha-1) compared to the first and third weeks of July, However, seed oil and crude protein were higher during the first week of July,.There was a remarkable increase from the lower spacing of 10 cm (612.19 Kg ha-1) to the higher spacing of 25 cm (671.33 Kg ha-1), and from (504.78 Kg ha-1) to (663.56 Kg ha-1) in Dutsin-Ma and Katsina respectively. In conclusion, EX-SUDAN variety seeded in second week of July with Intra-row spacing of 25 cm is suggested at the study area for a higher yield.