Sesame is an important oil crop grown in Ethiopia. It is grown in areas receiving annual rainfall between 625-1100mm and temperatures above 27°C. The major sesame growing regions in Ethiopia include Amhara, Tigray, Benishangul Gumuz, and Somali. Sesame requires hot conditions between 25-37°C to grow and yields are optimal with annual rainfall between 500-650mm. Diseases like bacterial blight and phyllody as well as insect pests such as webworm pose challenges to production. Proper agronomic practices including intercropping, fertilizer application, and control of weeds, pests and diseases can help maximize yields.

1. Aksum Unversity
College of Agriculture
Department of Plant Science
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) production
Compiled by: Abadi Berhane (MSc.)
April, 2014
Shire
4/30/2014 1

2. 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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3. Cont…
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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4. 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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5. 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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6. Cont…
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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7. Cont…
Production and productivity
Globally, 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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8. Cont…
Family: Pedaliaceae
Genus: sesamum, contains 16 genera and 60
spp.
Sesamum indicum L. (syn. S. orientale) (2n = 26)
is the widely cultivated one.
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9. 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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10. Cont…
• 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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11. Cont….
• 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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12. Cont…
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 a
diameter 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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13. Cont…
• 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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14. Cont…
Parameter Value (%)
Protein 22-25
Oil content 43-50
Carbohydrate 3
Fiber 6.3 gram
Nutritional content of sesame
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15. Cont…
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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16. 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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17. Cont…
• 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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18. Cont…
Soil type
• Sesame is adapted to many soil types, but
thrives best on;
…… well drained and medium textured fertile
soils;
pH: 5-8
The best soils in ethiopia are light alluvial and
chromic Vertisols; does not grow on heavy
clay, salty and waterlogged soils;
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19. Cont…
• 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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20. Cont…
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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21. Cont…
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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22. Agronomic practices
Land preparation, sowing, and seed rate
Sesame requires a warm, moist, weed free
seedbed,
20-25cm ploughing depth is practical;
Sesame seeds are small (sand or soil); 1:5 ratio
Seed 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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23. Cont…
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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24. Cont…
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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25. Cont…
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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26. Insect pests and diseases
management
Weeds and their control
Weeds 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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27. Cont…
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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28. Cont…
Control:
 spray chemicals
(Malathion 50% EC,
Ethiosulfan 35% EC 1-3
times, Karate 0.8% ULV,
 Use of botanicals
 Crop rotation,
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Bugs

29. Cont…
Diseases and their control
Bacterial 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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30. Cont…
A. Bacterial blight
Bacterial 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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31. Cont…
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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32. Cont…
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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33. Cont…
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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34. 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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35. Cont…
Harvesting and stacking in sesame:
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