Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

Aims: The objective of present study was to evaluate the efficiency of the use of different doses of nitrogen (N) applied in part to the growth and production of sesame.

Study Design: The design used was in random blocks, arranged in factor 9 × 3 scheme, with five repetitions and ten plants per experimental unit.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted from June to September 2018 at Experimental Chã-de-Jardim Farm, Center of Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Paraíba, municipality of Areia, Paraíba, Brazil.

Methodology: The treatments consisted nine doses of nitrogen (0; 10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 100; 150 and 200 kg ha^-1) and three forms of installment (P1 = 50% in foundation and 50% in cover thirty days after sowing (DAS); P2 = 33.3% on foundation, 33.3% for fifteen DAS and 33.3% for coverage; P3 = 25% for foundation, 25% for fifteen DAS, 25% for coverage and 25% for 45 DAS). The parameters were evaluated: plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), sheet number (SN), number of capsules (NC), productivity of grain (PG) and mass of 1000 grains (M1000).

Results: There was an increase in plant height when N was less fragmented, with a maximum height of 137.7 cm at a dose of 92.05 kg ha^-1 of N. The diameter of the stem and the number of leaves increased linearly as a result of the increase in N doses. The doses of N applied only on foundation (50%) and coverage (50%) promoted an increase in the number of capsules, with a maximum of 199.7 units referring to the application of 212.75 kg ha^-1 of N. Grain productivity was increased with an increase in the application of N, for the three splitting forms, up to a dose of maximum efficiency, followed by a subsequent decrease.

Conclusion: The increase in the portioning of nitrogen fertilization promotes lower growth of sesame plants. The application of 183.5 kg ha^-1 of N, 50% on foundation and 50% on coverage, provides higher productivity of sesame grains (1541.3 kg ha^-1).