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Aksum Unversity College of Agriculture

Department of Plant ScienceSesame (Sesamum indicum L.) production

Compiled by: Abadi Berhane (MSc.)

April, 2014Shire

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Oil crops production

Introduction Oil crops are important field crops in the world

as well as in Ethiopia. The area and production of oil crops in Ethiopia

in was 774,529.55ha 2010/11(6.55% of total area covered) and 6,339,987.49 Qts. (3.12% of total grain crops produced) respectively;

The major oil crops in Ethiopia are:

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Nug, sesame and linseed covered 2.09% (247,611.17 hectares), 3.25 % (384,682.79 hectares) and 0.62 % (73,687.7 hectares) of the grain crop area;

and 0.71 % (1,448,474.82 Qts.), 1.61 % (about 3,277,409.22 Qts.) and 0.32% (654,205.76 Qts.) of the grain production, respectively.

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Oil crops production

Highland oil crops

- Sunflower,- Niger seed,- Rapeseed/mustard,- Linseed/flax- Castor,

Lowland oil crops

• sesame,• Soybean,• Safflower• Groundnut, etc.

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Sesame Introduction

• Sesame is grown in areas with annual rainfall of 625-1100mm and temperature of above 270C.

• It is tolerant to drought ; but sensitive to water logging;

• Is grown deep, well drained, fertile sandy loam type of soils;

• In ethiopia it grows in Amhara, Tigray, Benshangul Gumuz, and Somali regions. It also grows in the lowlands of Oromiya, and SNNP.

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Origin and distribution is the most probably ancient oil crop, the origin is thought to be Africa, and spread to

West Asia, India, China and Japan;Most of the wild species are found in Africa.Is grown in tropics and subtropics (250 S and

250N).It also grows up to 400 in China, Russia and the

USA, 300S in Australia.

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Production and productivityGlobally, sesame is produced over an area of

8.8mha and annual production around 2.8mt with average productivity of 382kg/ha;

whereas, in Africa, average productivity ranges from 300 to 500kg/ha in pure stand;

But, under good management it reaches as high as 3000kg/ha (Kafiriti and Deckers, 2001).

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Family: PedaliaceaeGenus: sesamum, contains 16 genera and 60

spp.Sesamum indicum L. (syn. S. orientale) (2n = 26)

is the widely cultivated one.

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Crop description

Common names• ‘selit, simsim’• Sesame is a broadleaf plant• Plant height (1.5-2.0 meter)• Varieties differ in color of seed and flowers, size, growth

habit and composition,• The crop is erect, branched, mostly annual;• It is warm season plant,• Deep thin taproot stem, 1m length; • Considerably tolerate drought, but sensitive during initial

growth,

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• It has indeterminate growth;• Leaves are entire, lanceolate, and sometimes

slightly serrated;• Leaf size: varies from 3 to 17.5 cm in length and

1 to1.7cm in width, and with the petiole length of 1 to 5cm.

• Leaf color: is mostly dull, darkish-green or light green with a yellowish tint.

• Flowers: bell-shaped white to pale-rose flowers

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• Flowering starts 35-45 DAP and contineous 75-80 DAP• Pollination: it is normally self-pollinated but rarely to

up to 50% from insect pollination;• Flowers open early in the morning and shed in the

evening. • Anthers open and release pollen shortly after flower

opening, which remain viable for 24 hours only. • The stigma remains receptive• one day prior to flower opening to another one day

after flower opening.

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Fruiting the fruiting structure is called capsule or pod;Formed 20-30 cm above the ground;Capsule lengths: vary from 2.5 to 8 cm, with adiameter of 0.5 to 2 cm; Capsules are attached to the stem at upright

angle, usually hairy and contain about 50-90 small oleaginous seeds;

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• On average 1000 seeds weigh 2 to 4g;• Seed color: due to varietal variation, white,

yellow, reddish brown; or grey, dark grey,

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Parameter Value (%)

Protein 22-25

Oil content 43-50

Carbohydrate 3

Fiber 6.3 gram

Nutritional content of sesame

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Sesame oil is yellow in color and used in shortenings, salad oil, margarine and other food products,

40-60% oil can be obtained ( variety, envt.)Sesame seed is rich in calcium oxalate and fatty

acids; high in Vitamin A, B, & E, K, P, Mg;Sesame oil is a stable product because of a natural

antioxidants sesamol and sesamolinol that reduce the rate of oxidation;

…….. Preferable vegetable oil;

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Agro-ecology

Sesame grows well in hot to warm semi-arid plains (SA1-1) of western Tigray (mainly Humera) areas, rangiing from 500 to 1600 masl.

temperature: 21-280C; RF: 300-800mm mean annual rainfall; The 2nd major sesame area is characterized as hot to warm sub-

moist plains (SM1-1) that includes north western Amhara region (Metema), 400-1400 masl.,

Temperature: greater than 210C; RF: 200-1000mm mean annual RF; It is also growing in Benshangul Gumuz, Oromia, SNNP (Gibe,

Gojeb and Omo river basins)

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• Sesame requires hot conditions;• 25-370C through out the cycle; and 25-270C

encourages rapid germination;• Below 200C temperature delays germination

or inhibits; • Low temperature results in sterile pollens; and

over 400C seriously affects fertilization;

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Soil type• Sesame is adapted to many soil types, but

thrives best on;…… well drained and medium textured fertile

soils;pH: 5-8The best soils in ethiopia are light alluvial and

chromic Vertisols; does not grow on heavy clay, salty and waterlogged soils;

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• If the environment is suitable, sesame germinates 5-7 days,

• during the early stages, it has rapid growth to overcome weeds and to establish good stand;

• Thinning is iimportant when plants reach 10 to 15cm height (10cm),

• 222,000 to 250,000 plants/ha,

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Fertilizer application: in Humera, application of 120kg/ha NPK

(19:19:19) + K2SO4 50kg/ha + Urea 50kg/ha at planting gave 32% yield increment over the control.

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Water requirement• Sesame is drought resistant crop, after it is

well established, it tolerates high water stress;• 300 to 800mm per annum is necessary for

reasonable yield;• Optimum yields are obtained (500-650mm) in

3-4 months with good distribution,

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Agronomic practices

Land preparation, sowing, and seed rateSesame requires a warm, moist, weed free

seedbed, 20-25cm ploughing depth is practical;Sesame seeds are small (sand or soil); 1:5 ratioSeed rate: 5-7kg/ha for row, and 7-10 for

broadcasting,--------Metema (3-4 kg) and Humera (4-5kg/ha),Population: greater than 250,000 per ha;

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Variety selection• Due to the diverse agro-ecology, in Ethiopia,

there are several sesame varieties;• In ethiopia, both the improved and local

cultivars are branching types. Planting methods• Manually, or mechanically by hand operated

seeder,------- broadcasting, or drilling;

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Row spacing:• The recommended spacing in ethiopia is

10*40 making 250,000/ha,Planting depth: depending on soil type and

variety (3-5cm), planting time is the most critical phase.

Moisture availability, length of rainy season and temperature are the 3 major factors.

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Cropping system• Intercropping: Sesame is grown as intercrop

with sorghum in Harerghe and with tef in North Shewa. It requires high solar radiation and should be intercropped short crops stature.

• Crop rotation: with sorghum, cotton, peanuts, soybean, onion and other vegetables;

• Sole cropping:

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Insect pests and diseases management

Weeds and their controlWeeds affect: Quality, increased cost of production,

and serve as alternate hosts for insect pests and diseases;

Broadleaf and grasses are important weeds;Early weeding is important;Control: tillage (twice), hand weeding, use of

herbicides; Example: metholachlor 960 EC@2.5lt/ha + hand

weeding;

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Insect pests and their control:• Sesame yields are seriously affected by pests;Example: 1. Webworm (Antigastra catalaunalis),2. Sesame seed bug (Elasmolomus sordidus)3. Gall midge (Asphondilia sesami),4. Termites;5. Green vegetable bug (Nezara viridula),6. African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera)7. Grass hoppers, aphids, jassids, whitefly, crickets, warehouse

moth and red flour beetle are the major pests

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Cont…Control: spray chemicals

(Malathion 50% EC, Ethiosulfan 35% EC 1-3 times, Karate 0.8% ULV,

Use of botanicals Crop rotation,

Bugs

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Diseases and their controlBacterial blight in humid, phyllody in drier

areas are serious diseases while; powdery mildew and wilt are sporadic and

minor economic loss.

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A. Bacterial blightBacterial blight and bacterial leaf spot of sesame are

caused by two pathogens; Xanthomonas sesami and Pseudomonas sesami.

it can cause complete yield failure; Incidence may reach up to 100% in Wellega, Pawe,

and Gambella where high humidity persists, while 10-50% in semi-arid areas like Were and Humera.

Water logging encourages the spread of the diseases;

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Bacterial blight control:A. Use of tolerant

varieties such as Dicho for Wellega, Abassena for Pawe and Tate for Southern areas;

B. Cultural practices: clean seed, stable removal, burning, deep plowing and crop rotation

C. Hot water treatment@ 520C for 12-14 minutes;

D. chemical: streptomycin solutions 750-1000ppm

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Phyllody:Phyllody is most

destructive disease of sesame in drier areas like Werer, Babille, and Bisidimo and partly in North West.

It causes deformation of leaves and flowers,

Control:Do not use infected

seeds, destroy infected plants, and burn,

Jassids are alternate hosts,

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Wilt: • Is caused by fungus,• Fusarium oxysporium

and Fusarium sesami,• Symptoms: infected

terminal leaves turn yellowish, desiccate and droop, progresses down to the stem;

Control: seed selection, early plowing and exposing the fungus to desiccation, avoiding water logging, field sanitation, and crop rotation.

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Crop maturity, harvesting and postharvest techniques of sesame

Maturity: the LGP for sesame in ethiopia varies with the length of rainy season.

• In Humera and other short rainy season areas, sesame matures within 100 days;

• In Wellega, Benshangul Gumuz, Gambella and similar long season areas, it matures within 150 days;

• Symptom: at maturity leaves and stems tend to change from green to yellow color, then to dark red, and finally, leaves falloff,

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Harvesting and stacking in sesame: