Effects of Waterlogging on the Growth of Different Varieties of Sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.)

Intermittent or persistent waterlogging is a challenge for crop selection and rotation on rice growing soils. The pot experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design including five treatments and eight replications in the controlled nethouse. The five treatments are five sesame varieties (VTH, DTH, M6 and LV which are commonly planted in Mekong River Delta and ADB1 is a sesame variety from Institute of Agricultural Science for South Viet Nam). This research evaluated these sesame varieties for their resistance to waterlogging. All the sesame varieties at flowering stage were flooded with 5 centimeters of river water ponded above the soil surface. There was a significant (P<0.05) impact of waterlogging on all plant growth parameters, including: plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of flowers per plant, number of pods per fruit, root length, total biomass and the amount of oxygen content exchanged through the leaf (photosynthetic rate). The sesame variety ADB1 had significantly (P<0.05) and consistently higher values for all plant growth parameters as well as establishment of adventitious roots. Therefore, it is recommended that ADB1 is selected and cultivated where waterlogging may occur.