Growth and yield responses of sesame to organic fertilizer under tropical conditions

The use of cattle manure and other organic compounds can be a profitable and efficient alternative in sustainable agriculture. The aim of this work was to evaluate the development and production of sesame ‘BRS Seda’ for organic fertilization at different doses, under the conditions of soil and climate found in Catole do Rocha, in the State of Paraiba, Brazil. The following characteristics were evaluated: number of leaves and pods; plant height; stem diameter; number of flowers; dry weight of the leaves, stems, roots, pods and seeds; number and length of secondary branches; height of the first fruit; seeds per pod; pod length; and emergence percentage and speed of the produced seedlings. The different doses of cattle manure influenced pod length, number of seeds per pod, and emergence percentage and speed of the produced seedlings, with better results for the dose of 40 t ha-1.   Key words: Sesamum indicum L., fertilization, morpho-agronomic characterization, organic production.