Sesame agronomy in south-east tanzania. II. Intercropping with sorghum

Field trials are described in which sesame varieties maturing in 125 days at 2 m high, were grown in alternate rows with sorghum maturing in 175 days at 4 m. Compared to sowing both crops together, the yield of sesame sown 10, 14 and 28 days after sorghum fell by 53, 68 and 100%, respectively, but sorghum yield was not consistently affected. Improved sesame varieties, despite being shorter and less branched, performed better than the local variety, and nitrogen fertilizer applied to one or both components of the mixture did not appear to favour one crop at the expense of the other.