EFFECT OF NEEM COMPOST AND NPK FERTILIZER ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SESAME (Sesamum indicum)

Abstract

The study was examined the Performance of Sesame (Sesamum indicum Linn) as Influenced by varying rate of Neem compost fertilizer on the growth and yield of Sesame. Pot experiments was conducted during the rainy season of 2023 at the experimental plot behind Bee-Hall, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,
Ogbomoso in guinea savannah zone of Nigeria between May and October, 2023. Ogbomoso lies on latitude (8º N I0ºS) and longitude (4ºW, 10ºE). The maximum temperature was 28º C. The humidity was high at about 76% all the year round except in January when dry wind blows from the North, annual rainfall was over
1000mm. (Babajide et al., 2008). Six fertilizer treaments were introduced; T0 = (Zero application of fertilizer material), T0 (Zero Application), T1 (NPK 100%), T2 (75% NPK + 25% Neem Compost), T3 (50% NPK + 50% Neem Compost), T4 (25% NPK + 75% Neem Compost) , T5 (100% Neem Compost).The trial was arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) replicated three times. Data collected on growth and yield parameters were plant heights, numbers of leaves, numbers of branches, stem girths, Root Fresh Weights, Root Dry Weights, Shoot Fresh Weights, Shoot Dry Weights and were analyzed using Analyswas of
Variance (ANOVA). Means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT), at 5% level of probability (SAS, 2019). Application of T3 at 10WAS increased the yield parameters on both shoot fresh and seed yield weight with the highest mean value (98.60a and 131.27a) respectively which was not significantly
different from T1, T4 and T5 but significantly different from T2 and T0 which had the least mean value of (25.27b and 63.32b).