Potencial produtivo e adaptabilidade de cultivares de gergelim (Sesamum indicum L.) no semiárido paraibano

Abstract

Sesame is one of the most cultivated oilseeds by humanity, with wide versatility, growing market demand, and cultural and socioeconomic importance for small farmers. However, its productivity is still low due to the non-adaptation to the most extreme water deficit ranges, the use of landraces with low genetic potential, and low technology in fruit harvesting, increasing production losses. The aim of this study was to characterize the adaptability and agronomic performance of three sesame cultivars in two areas in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, cultivated at different spacings. The behavior of the cultivars BRS Anahí, BRS Seda and BRS Morena in the regions of Brejo (Area I) and Cariri (Area II) of Paraiba was evaluated from the experimental design in randomized blocks, in a factorial scheme 2 x 3 + 2, two areas, three cultivars and two spacings for each cultivar. The cultivars were analyzed for fourteen morphological and productive characteristics. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and when significance was found according to the f test, the means were compared according to the Tukey test at 5% significance. Adaptability was estimated using the Plaisted and Peterson method (θi%). The results of the source of environmental variation showed that there was an effect on the characteristics stem diameter, fruit width and productivity, for cultivars the effect was significant in all characteristics, except number of fruits per axil, weight of a thousand seeds and productivity; the effect of spacing was significant for fruit length and width, for the interactions only the effect of the Cultivars x Environment interaction was significant, for the characteristics number of fruits per plant and productivity. In the experiment carried out in Area I, high productivity was verified, 1,083.7 kg.ha-1, a value 82.7% higher than that of Area II (187.9 kg.ha-1). The cultivars with the highest average productivity were BRS Seda in Area I (1,325.9 kg.ha 1 ) and BRS Morena in Area II (271.4 kg.ha-1). Spacing did not influence the productive performance of any of the cultivars. The cultivar with the best adaptability and stability, in the two evaluated environments, for 58.6% of the characteristics analyzed was BRS Seda. The cultivars showed different responses to environmental variations, making it possible to increase yield and invest in research with sesame, in semi-arid conditions, as long as productivity is related to ecosystem sustainability.