ABSTRACT

Experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm and Laboratory of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria in the early and late crop-planting seasons of 2016 and 2017, to ascertain the appropriate planting date for sesame varieties in Owerri. Eight planting dates including 7^th and 25^th of April, May, August and September and three varieties (early-, medium- and late-maturing) were evaluated. The experiment was laid out as an 8 x 3 factorial experiment in Randomized Complete Block Design with three (3) replications. Data on various agronomic and yield parameters were collected and analyzed using the Genstat (Ed. 4) statistical software, and means separated using the Least Significant Difference tool of the statistical software at five percent level of significance. Results revealed better agronomic and yield performances with planting on 7^th April. Therefore, planting of sesame in Owerri should be done within the first week of April, provided soil moisture is adequate and the early maturing variety is most adapted due to its shorter maturity period.