RESPONSE OF SESAME (Sesamumindicum L.) TO DIFFERENT WEED CONTROL METHODS AND FERTILIZERS IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Two concurrent experiments were conducted during rainy season of 2017 at Research Farm of Bayero University Kano (Lat. 11 o 58 ′ N and Long. 8 0 33 ′ E and 475m above sea level), and GurungawaKumbotso Local Government area (lat. 11 o 56 ′ N and long. 8 0 31 ′ E and 447m above sea level) all in the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. The experiment consisted of three levels of cow dung (CD) (0, 3 and 6 t ha -1 ) and NPK fertilizer at 50 kg N ha -1 , 60 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 , 35 kg K 2 O ha -1 , two levels each of two pre-emergence herbicides, Metolachlor and Pendimenthalin at 2.0 and 2.5 Kg a.i. ha -1 ,  hoe weeding at 3 and 6WAS and weedy check as control. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with cow dung and NPK applied to the main plot and weed management method to sub-plot and was replicated three times. The result indicated that application of NPK fertilizer and closely followed by application of 6t ha -1 of cow dung significantly produced  taller plants, more number of leaf, large LAI, higher CGR, harvest index, and grain yield than values obtained with other cow dung rates. Hoe weeding at 3 and 6 WAS  and closely followed by application of Metolachlor 2.5 kg a.i. ha -1 and Pendimenthalin 2.5 kg a.i. ha -1 were significantly more efficient in weed control than any other weed control method and also  indicated better weed suppression. Conclusively, application of NPK was significantly better than application of cow dung in sesame production in the study locations and hoe weeding at 3 and 6WAS was significantly better in weed control in sesame than any other method  Application of NPK fertilizer plus hoe weeding at 3 and 6WAS resulted in highest grain yields across all locations in the interaction. .