The Effects of Different Types of Fertilizers on the Growth and Yield of Sesame (sesamum Indicum L) In Makurdi

A field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria during the 2012 cropping season to determine the effects of different fertilizer types on growth and yield of Sesame. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design and replicated three times. There were six treatments which included NPK – 15-15-15, Urea Super Granules (USG), Compost Plus, Foliar fertilizer, Rice Husk Ash and control. Data Collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using LSD test at (P = 0.05). Results show that all data on growth and yield parameters were significantly influenced by Urea Super Granules, Compost Plus and NPK – 15-15-15. Urea treated plots had significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) number of primary branches per plant (9.77), number of capsules per plant (76.47), capsule height (56.37 cm) and plant height (149.8 cm) compared to the plots that received other treatments. Compost plus treated plots are next after urea treated plots in terms of their impact on growth parameters and control had the least values of the parameters. The highest yield (0.63 t/ha) was obtained with Urea Super Granules and the least (0.35 t/ha) was from foliar fertilizer.