Sesamum indicum

An annual plant reaching 1 m tall by 0.5 m wide, hardy only to UK zone 10 and frost-tender. Flowers in July and is hermaphroditic. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with mildly acid to basic pH, requiring full sun and moist, well-drained conditions.

Description

A small upright plant. It is an annual plant. It is erect and much branched. It grows 1-2 m tall. The stem is stout and 4 sided. It is furrowed along its length. It is densely covered with glandular hairs. The leaves are fine and downy. They vary in shape. The lower leaves have long stalks and are spear shaped often with lobes or a toothed edge. The leaf stalks are 3-11 cm long. The leaf blade is 4-20 cm long by 2-10 cm wide. Upper leaves are narrow and oblong. They are 0.5-2.5 cm wide. The flowers are pink and white. They occur in the axils of upper leaves. They occur either on their own or in groups or 2 or 3. They can be white, pink, purplish and with yellow spots and stripes. The fruit can be smooth or rough and there are 2 chambers in the capsule. The fruit are brown or purple. They are oblong and deeply grooved. The seeds are small and oval. They are 3 mm by 1.5 mm and vary in colour from white, yellow, grey, red, brown or black. The fully ripe pods burst open.

Edible Uses

The seeds are the primary edible part and can be cooked in various ways: roasted, stewed, ground into flour for use in breads and vegetables, made into sweetmeats, or crushed for use as a butter. They can be fermented into tempeh, ground and mixed with a sweetener to make halva, or made into the paste tahini. The seeds can also be sprouted and used in salads. Nutritionally, the seed contains approximately 21.5% protein, 60.8% fat, 8.9% carbohydrate and 3.4% ash. It is a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, calcium and vitamins A, B and E, with the calcium being well absorbed by the body, making sesame an excellent dietary source. An edible oil pressed from the seed is used for cooking or in margarines; it is very stable and can keep for years without turning rancid. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb, or added to soups.

Traditional Uses

The seed are ground and eaten. They are used in soups or fried or boiled. They are used in tahini and hummus. Seeds are eaten in the form of sweetmeats. Roasted seeds are used in pickles. They are also put on bread. Oil from the seeds is used in cooking and on salads. The refuse from the seed after the oil has been extracted is boiled in water and made into soup. The seeds are used in chutney. The dried leaves are crushed and cooked with dried fish and eaten in curries.

Medicinal Uses

Both the leaves and seed are astringent. The leaves are rich in a gummy substance that, when mixed with water, forms a bland mucilage used to treat infant cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, catarrh and bladder troubles. The seed is diuretic, emollient, galactogogue, lenitive and tonic, and acts as a tonic for the liver and kidneys. It is taken internally for premature hair loss and greying, convalescence, chronic dry constipation, dental caries, osteoporosis, stiff joints and dry cough. It has a marked ability to increase milk production in nursing mothers. Externally, the seed is used to treat haemorrhoids and ulcers. The seed is very high in calories and should be used with caution by people who are overweight. The oil is laxative and promotes menstruation, and is used to treat dry constipation in the elderly. Mixed with lime water, the oil is applied externally to treat burns, boils and ulcers. A decoction of the root is used in various traditions to treat asthma and coughs.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It suits the hot dry semi-arid tropics and subtropics. It can tolerate short periods of drought once established. It needs a temperature of 20-24°C in early growth then 27°C for ripening. It grows from sea level to about 1,200 m. It grows in areas with a rainfall from 400 to 1000 mm. Soils need to be well drained. It is very intolerant of water-logging. It cannot stand high humidity. It needs frost free conditions. It needs a dry period for seed drying. It does not like acid soils. In Nepal it grows up to about 2400 m altitude. It grows in open sunny places. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Andaman Is., Andes, Angola, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Central Asia, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Europe, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, French Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India*, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marianas, Marquesas, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Somalia, South Korea, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Turkey, Türkiye, Uganda, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Sesame can be grown from the warm temperate zone to the tropics, so long as there is a growing season of at least 5 months. In the tropics, it can be grown at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range of 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 40°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 500 - 1,000mm, but tolerates 300 - 1,500mm. High relative humidity or heavy rains may increase the incidence of fungal diseases. Requires a well-drained porous soil and a warm sunny sheltered position. Succeeds in most well-drained soils of moderate fertility. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7.5, tolerating 4.5 - 8. A sheltered position is preferred, sesame is susceptible to wind damage after the main stem has elongated. Depending upon variety, a crop of sesame can be produced within 40 - 180 days from sowing the seed. The average yield of sesame seed in the world is about 350 kilos per hectare, but yields can be up to 3 tonnes. There are many named varieties. Sesame grows well with sweet corn but it grows badly with sorghum. The British climate is probably too cool in the summer to successfully grow this crop, though some people have reported success. Early sowing in the greenhouse and some protection when first planting it out will help. Sesame grows well with sweet corn but it grows badly with sorghum.

Propagation

Sow seed in early spring in a greenhouse. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out after the last expected frosts, giving protection under a cloche until they are growing away well. In warm temperate zones where frosts are very rare, light or non-existent, seed can be sown in situ in spring or autumn.

Other Uses

The seed contains up to 55% of a semi-drying oil, which is used in soap making, lighting, as a lubricant and as a source of pharmaceutical drugs. When added to the insecticide pyrethrum it acts as a synergist — a 10% content of the oil doubles the potency of the pyrethrum. The oil can also be used in barrier creams to protect the skin from harmful UV radiation.

Production

Yields of 340-500 kg/ha are average. Plants reach maturity in 80-180 days. Crops are harvested as the leaves begind to drop. Plants are cut and stooked or dried in racks. The hull is removed by soaking in water overnight, then partly dried and rubbed against a rough surface.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant.

Notes

The seeds can contain 55% oil. Recently the name Sesamum orientale L. has been accepted.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Ajonjoli, Beniseed, Benne, Benniseed, Bijan, Bukenyimu, Bulukutu, Bununya, Busosyi, Bwengo, Chamkkae, Chih mah, Chitowe, Ellu, Ewe ekutu, Geching, Gingelly, Gingli, Ginjili, Goma, Hnan-gyi, Hnan si, Hu ma, Ingo, Ininga, Karkashi, Karuthellu, Kattu yellu, Keh, Khasa, Lamti, Landi, Lena, Lenga, Letsoku, Lidonya, Linga, Matongwe, Mchesi, Me, Mkwiyu, Muki goma, Muwaadonmu, Namuhangwa, Nareer, Nempo, Nga dee la, Ngaa, Nuvvulu, Nyamoti, Rasi, Rininga, ruNinga, Saamu, Saari, Sesam, Sesamo, Sesamum, Sibing, Sii, Sim-sim, Sivar, Susam, Tal, Thala, Til, Tila, Til-dkar, Tili, Ubudonqa, Usambia, Wally, Wangila, Wanguila, Wijen, Yonmonti, Zhi ma, Zicil-puuz

References (106)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 40
• Achigan-Dako, E, et al (Eds), 2009, Catalogue of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. International Foundation for Science.
• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 4099
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 568
• Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 221

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