FIELD-RESISTANCE OF SESAME CULTIVARS TO CERCOSPORA LEAF-SPOT INDUCED BY CERCOSPORA-SESAMI

During 1986 and 1988, 49 sesame cultivars were evaluated in the field at Samaru, Nigeria, for resistance to Cercospora leaf spot disease ind uced by Cercospora sesami Zimin. Disease severity scores showed that n one of the cultivars was immune to the disease. More than 90% of the c ultivars were either susceptible or highly susceptible to the disease. However, four cultivars, 65B-58, 60/2/3-1-8B, 69B-392, and 73A-96B, w ere found to be the most resistant. Late maturing and branched types w ere less affected by the disease than the early maturing and unbranche d types. There was a high incidence of disease-induced leaf defoliatio n, especially amongst the early maturing cultivars.