Fifty-four sesame genotypes, comprising 51 genebank accessions and three farmer-preferred cultivars, were evaluated during the 2023 and 2024 summer seasons at the Kassala and Gash Research Station, Sudan, under surface irrigation using an augmented randomised complete block design. The study assessed phenotypic and genotypic correlations among nine agronomic, phenological, and yield-related traits and identified potential criteria for indirect selection. The traits evaluated were capsule length, number of capsules per plant, number of branches per plant, plant height, height to first capsule, days to 50% flowering, thousand-seed weight, days to maturity, and seed yield. Combined-season analysis revealed that number of capsules per plant had the strongest positive phenotypic (r= 0.745) and genotypic (r= 0.791) correlations with seed yield, followed by number of branches per plant (r= 0.632 and 0.696, respectively) and plant height (r= 0.433 and 0.421, respectively). Capsule length, days to 50% flowering, thousand-seed weight, and days to maturity showed positive associations with seed yield, whereas height to first capsule showed a weak negative association. Path coefficient analysis identified number of capsules per plant as the most important contributor to seed yield, with the largest positive direct effect (0.40) and a substantial total indirect effect (0.34). Number of branches per plant (0.22) and plant height (0.20) also exhibited positive direct effects, whereas height to first capsule and days to maturity showed negative direct effects. These findings indicate that number of capsules per plant and number of branches per plant are important yield-associated traits and promising indirect selection criteria for sesame improvement under Sudanese irrigated conditions. Further multi-environment testing is recommended to validate the stability of these relationships across major sesame-producing environments in Sudan.
Elawad Mohammad Sedig, M. M. Beshir, A. E. Idris et al.· Asian Journal of Research in...· 0 citations
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a drought-tolerant oilseed crop with considerable potential for sustainable production in water-limited environments. This study evaluated the effects of irrigation interval and cultivar on growth, yield, biomass partitioning, seed quality, and trait relationships of two safflower cultivars (Giza and Dongla) under Sudanese conditions. A factorial experiment was conducted using three irrigation intervals (7, 14, and 21 days). Growth, yield components, biomass, harvest index, and seed quality traits were measured, and Pearson's correlation analysis was used to examine relationships among agronomic traits. Significant varietal effects (P < 0.05) were observed for several growth and yield-component traits. Giza produced significantly taller plants and greater dry matter, whereas Dongla produced significantly more heads per plant and exhibited a higher harvest index, reflecting contrasting growth and assimilate partitioning strategies. Irrigation interval significantly affected some vegetative growth traits, but had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on seed yield, harvest index, or seed quality. Likewise, although the 7-day irrigation interval produced the highest numerical seed yield, this difference was not statistically significant. Correlation analysis showed that plant height and leaf area were positively associated with seed production, whereas branch number promoted head formation but exhibited trade-offs with vegetative growth. Seed yield was more closely associated with harvest index than with total biomass, highlighting the importance of assimilate partitioning for productivity. These findings demonstrate that safflower can maintain yield and seed quality under moderate deficit irrigation, indicating that irrigation intervals of up to 21 days can reduce irrigation frequency without significant yield penalties. The results also support variety-specific cultivar selection, with Giza better suited for biomass production and Dongla for efficient reproductive allocation under water-limited conditions in Sudan.
Rasha Gasim Gadora, M. M. Beshir, N. Khalil et al.· Journal of Agriculture and E...· 0 citations
