Response of some sesame varieties to weed management practices in a moist savanna area of Nigeria

Abstract

Field study was conducted during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons at Minna in southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria to assess the agronomic performance of five sesame varieties (NCRIBEN 01M, 02, 03, 04, and 05) under four weed management practices: (i) weedy check, (ii) pre-emergence (PE) application of butachlor at 0.125 kg a.i.ha-1 followed by (fb) post emergence (POE) application of fluazifop-p-butyl at 0.038 kg a.i.ha-1, (iii) PE application of butachlor fb hoe weeding (HW) at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS), and (iv) two hoe weeding at 3 + 6 WAS (2HW) using a 5 x 4 factorial combination in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated that the most dominant weed species in sesame field were Vernonia galamensis, Cynodon dactylon, Euphorbia heterophylla, Hyptis suaveolens, Spigelia anthelmia, Cyperus rotundus, Tridax procumbens, Commelina benghalensis and Ludwigia decurrens. Weed management practices reduced weed biomass, but increased sesame height, capsule length, number of capsule per plant, seeds per capsule and seed yield. The 2HW reduced weed biomass the most, produced taller plants, longer capsules, and increased seed yield by 41.4 % in 2014 and 75.6 % in 2015 relative to the weedy check. These results were comparable to those under PE application of butachlor fb HW at 6 WAS. In both years, variety, interaction between weed management and variety were not significant on weed control, growth, and yield of sesame. These results suggest that 2HW, and PE application of butachlor fb HW at 6 WAS could sustain weed control in sesame production in savanna agro ecology in Nigeria.