MULTI-LOCAL EVALUATION OF 16 SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L.) LINES FOR YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an oilseed crop with high food and nutritional value. In Niger, it has been integrated into cropping systems with the aim of diversifying crops and sources of income for producers. This study was carried out with the aim of testing the agronomic performance of sixteen (16) sesame genotypes. Two trials were conducted in rainfed conditions on station at the Faculty of Agronomy and Environmental Sciences (FASE) and infarmers condition. A randomized incomplete block design was used at both study sites. Observations focused on the phenology, agro morphological parameters, yield and its components. The results of the analysis of the combined data on the phenological parameters revealed a significant site effect with no interaction between the genotype and the site. Flowering occured earlier at the Dogo site (87 days) than at the FASE site (106 days). For growth and yield parameters, the analysis revealed a significant site effect for plant height, first capsule insertion height, yield and thousand-seed weight. UMS1833 is the most productive genotype with an average yield of 1590 kg/ha while UMS1804 is the least efficient genotype with an average yield of 733 kg/ha. There is a great genetic variability in distinguishing characters between the genotypes.