The effect of plant growth regulator treatments on plant productivity and capsule dehiscence in sesame

Low plant productivity and poor seed retention are the major constraints to the expansion of mechanised sesame production. Two sesame cultivars (Aussi e Gold and UCR82-6NS) that differ in plant productivity and seed retention were compared, and their response to plant growth regulator treatments was examined. Plant productivity of the two cultivars was related to the seed d emand for resources. Although plant growth regulator treatments altered the seed demand for resources, they failed to improve productivity. Plant grow th regulator treatments also failed to influence capsule anatomy, reduce ca psule dehiscence, or improve seed retention. There was only weak evidence t o support a hypothesis that the phenotype of UCR82-6NS plants is a result o f altered auxin physiology. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.