Influence of Cocoa Pod Husk Powder on the Performance of Black Benniseed under Basal Application Phosphorus Fertilizer in the Southern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria

The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farms of Landmark University Omu-Aran, Kwara state in 2014 and 2015 planting seasons to evaluate the influence of cocoa pod husk powder on growth and seed yield of black benniseed (Sesamum radiatum) under basal application of phosphorus fertilizer in the southern guinea savanna of Nigeria. Treatment consisted of four rates of cocoa pod husk powder (0, 5, 10 and 15 tonnes ha-1) in combination with basal application of phosphorus fertilizer (90 kg P2O5 ha-1) and 200 kg ha-1 of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer which represents the standard was applied. Phosphorus fertilizer (18% single superphosphate) was applied at planting at the rate of 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 to all the plots except NPK plots while cocoa pod husk powder was applied at the rate of 0, 5, 10 and 15 tonnes ha-1 based on treatments two weeks before planting. At two weeks after planting NPK 15:15:15 was applied to the assigned plots at the rate of 200 kg ha-1. Treatments were arranged in Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated four times. Parameters measured includes: - plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, biological yield, fresh vegetable yield, seed yield and harvest index. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS procedure while LSD was used to separate the means at p