Two field experiments were carried out during 2005 and 2006 growing seasons at the Experimental Farm Shandaweel Research Station, Sohag Governorate, A.R.C., to study the effect of two sesame varieties performance (Toushki-1 and Shandaweel-3), three nitrogen fertilizer (40, 60 and 80 Kg N/fed.) and six weed control treatments (Fusilade super, Fusilade super + Hand hoeing once, Select super, Select super + Hand hoeing once, Hand hoeing twice and unweeded) on sesame yield and associated weeds. The data could be summarized as follows:
The variety of Toushki-1 decreased significantly the dry weight of grassy, broad and total weeds g/m2 by 49.1, 15.2 and 34.1%, respectively compared with Shandaweel-3 in the first season and by 24.0, 6.8 and 13.0% in the second season in this respective. In both seasons sesame varieties differed significantly in all studied characters. Maximum means of plant height, capsule length, fruiting zone length, number of capsules/plant, 1000-seed weight, day to 50% flowering, oil% and seed yield ardab/fed were produced from Toushki-1 variety. While Shandaweel-3 variety produced the lowest means of this traits.
Increasing nitrogen levels from 40 to 80 kg N/fed increased the dry weight of all weeds in both seasons. Increasing nitrogen levels from 40, 60 and 80 kg N/fed significantly increased all characters under investigation. Seed yield/fed increased significantly with increasing nitrogen levels (60 and 80 kg/fed) by (27.3 & 12.5) and (24.5 & 8.1 %) in the first and second seasons, respectively, as compared with the level 40 Kg N/fed.
All weed control treatments reduced the dry weight of weeds as compared with unweeded. Also, all weed treatments surpassed the unweeded in the estimated sesame characters. Hand hoeing twice (30 and 45 DAS), Select super + hand hoeing once and Fusilade super + hand hoeing once increased significantly seed yield (ardab/fed) by 87.5, 72.1 and 48.2 in the 1st season and by 65.6, 54.7 and 33.9% in the 2nd seasons, respectively. Most interactions under this study were significantly for most characters.
From this investigation, sesame plants treated with hand hoeing twice (30 and 45 DAS) and fertilized with 80 kg N/fed. gave the highest seed yield and yield components under sesame Toushki-1 variety.