EFFECTS OF SESAME CULTIVARS AND BOTANICAL FUNGICIDES COMBINATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CERCOSPORA LEASPOT DISEASE OF SESAME IN MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA

Field experiment was conducted in two locations at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri (Unimaid) and the Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Borno State University (Bosu) both in Maiduguri, to evaluate the effects of sesame cultivars and botanical fungicides combination for the management of Cercospora leaf spot disease of sesame. Combining cultivar and botanical pesticide can create a synergistic effect,thereby enhancing disease control and reducing the risk of pesticide. The treatments consisted of two sesame cultivars (Ex-sudan and Gwoza Local) and seven botanical fungicide combinations (Henna 100 g/L, Bitter melon 100 g/L, Mancozeb 2 g/L, Henna 50 g/L + Bitter Melon 50 g/L, Henna 50 g/L + Mancozeb 2 g/L, Bitter melon 50 g/L + Mancozeb 2 g/L, Henna 50 g/L + Bitter melon 50 g/L + Mancozeb 2 g/L) and untreated control. The experiments were laid out in a split plot design, where sesame cultivar assigned to the main plot while botanical fungicide spray combinations to the subplot. Data were collected on disease incidence, disease severity and yield components. Results showed that fungicide combination of Henna + Bittermelon + Mancozeb at 50:50:2 g/L significantly suppressed the disease incidence (15.70% to 25.45% and 15.69% to 28.39%) at 45DAS and 90DAS in Unimaid and at Bosu. The disease severity of Cercospora leaf spot was (17.20% to 19.38% and 11.83% to 23.30%) at 45DAS and 75DAS at Unimaid and Bosu respectively compared with the other fungicide combinations. Similarly, the same fungicidal combination produce significantly more number of capsules per stand (66.82 and 66.77) and higher -1 yield (1145 and 714.8 Kg ha) at Unimaid and Bosu respectively than in the other combination treatments. In addition, Ex-sudan had more number of capsules per stand and higher grain yield than in Gwoza-local. It can therefore, be concluded that for the management of Cercospora leaf spot disease of sesame, the cultivar Ex-sudan sprayed with the combination of Henna + Bittermelon + Mancozeb at the ratio of (50:50:2/L) appeared to be more promising.