Evaluation of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Varieties for Seed Yield and Yield Components under Bacterial Blight (Xanthomonas campestris pv. sesami) Disease Pressure in Western Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Yield reduction in sesame production in Ethiopia has been attributed to many biotic and abiotic factors. From among the biotic factors, bacterial blight (Xanthomonas campestris pv. sesami) disease is a major constraint across the major sesame growing areas. A study was conducted on farmers’ field at Dansha (northern Ethiopia), “hot spot area” for bacterial blight disease, to identify the level of resistance to bacterial blight disease in some sesame varieties and assess the corresponding productivity of the varieties under natural disease pressure. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Highly significant differences (p<0.01) were observed in days to 50% flowering and maturity, number of branches and capsules per plant, plant height, seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight, yield (kg/ha), oil content (%) percentage severity index (%) and AUDPC values. The mean maximum yield (651.7 kg/ha) was obtained from variety Gida-Ayana whereas, the lowest mean grain yield (428.3 kg/ha) was obtained from variety Hirhr. Variety Gida-Ayana had the lowest disease development and had the highest seed yield and percent oil content than the rest of the varieties tested. Thus, variety Gida-Ayana is identified as the most promising variety to be produced in the bacterial blight problem areas of northern Ethiopia.