EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF HARVEST VARIABLES ON SESAME CROP YIELD IN OWERRI, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study aimed to comprehend the correlation between seed yield and various yield parameters of sesame by analyzing 100 sesame stands from the Federal University of Technology's sesame field in Owerri, Nigeria. Measurements taken included Leaf Area (LA), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Total Dry Matter (TDM) at 4, 5, and 8 weeks after planting, and Number of Capsules (NCap), Number of seeds per capsule (NSeed), Thousand Seed Weight (TSW), Seed Yield per plant, and TDM at harvest. Seed yield values were regressed on all other parameters to determine the coefficient of regression (r2) and the regression model. There was a significant linear relationship between seed yield and some parameters, with models involving TSW, NCap, NSeed, and TDM at harvest having r2 values ranging from 71.4% to 85.9%. The corresponding models were 0.00121 + 0.00234 NCap (r2 = 85.9%), 0.0028 + 0.0009217 NSeed (r2 = 76.8%), 0.00309 + 0.00008583 TDM harv (r2 = 71.6%), and 0.00045 + 0.01732 TSW (r2 = 71.4%). These models can serve as effective tools for developing yield predictor machines for sesame in precision agriculture, thereby enhancing the understanding of the relationship between seed yield and various harvest parameters.