Sesame Cultivation: Techniques for High-Yield and Disease Control

Sesame, commonly known as til or gingelly, is one of the oldest oilseed crops cultivated in India. With an oil content ranging from 46-52% and a rich profile of protein, vitamins, and minerals, it holds a special place among oilseed crops. India leads the world in sesame cultivation area, yet the average national yield remains low – largely because the crop is grown under rainfed, low-input conditions. The good news? With the right combination of improved varieties, proper nutrient management, timely irrigation, and effective pest control, sesame yields can be significantly boosted.

Why sesame matters as an oilseed crop 🔗

Sesame seed contains roughly 50% oil, 25% protein, and 15% carbohydrates, making it a nutritional powerhouse. The oil is rich in oleic and linoleic fatty acids and contains a natural antioxidant called sesamol, which gives sesame oil its remarkably long shelf life. This stability makes it valuable for cooking, the pharmaceutical industry, and cosmetic formulations. In Ayurveda, sesame oil is often referred to as the “Queen of Oils” due to its wide medicinal applications.

Globally, the top sesame-producing countries include India, Sudan, Myanmar, and China. India cultivates sesame across roughly 16.7 lakh hectares, but the average productivity sits around 391-500 kg/ha – well below what is achievable. A well-managed sesame crop can yield 1200-1500 kg/ha under irrigated conditions and 800-1000 kg/ha under rainfed conditions, according to ICAR-IIOR research. The gap between actual and potential yield points to a clear opportunity for farmers willing to adopt improved practices.

Climate and soil requirements 🔗

Sesame is a warm-season, tropical crop that thrives in hot conditions. The optimum temperature for its growth cycle is 25-35°C. Temperatures above 40°C, especially when accompanied by hot winds, reduce oil content. If temperatures exceed 45°C or drop below 15°C, yield losses become severe, and pollen sterility can occur.

For soil, sesame performs best in well-drained sandy loam or loam soils with a pH range of 5.5 to 8.0. Heavy clay soils that retain excessive moisture are problematic because sesame roots are highly sensitive to waterlogging. Even short periods of water stagnation in the field can damage or destroy the crop. Before sowing, the land should be ploughed thoroughly to achieve a fine tilth, and proper drainage channels should be established. Applying 5 tonnes/ha of well-decomposed farmyard manure (FYM) during the last ploughing improves soil structure and nutrient availability.

Improved varieties for higher yields 🔗

Choosing the right variety is one of the simplest ways to improve sesame productivity. Several improved varieties have been developed by ICAR and state agricultural universities for different agro-ecological zones. Some notable ones include:

N 32 – Known for uniform maturity and resistance to major diseases. It is widely recommended for irrigated conditions across central India.

JT 7 – Performs well in drought-prone areas due to superior water-use efficiency. A strong choice for rainfed sesame cultivation.

TKG-306 and TKG-308 – Developed for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, these varieties yield 700-800 kg/ha with maturity in 85-90 days. They carry resistance to multiple diseases including Phytophthora, phyllody, Macrophomina, and Alternaria leaf spot.

JTS-8 – A white-seeded variety maturing in 82-85 days, valued for its resistance to Macrophomina and Alternaria, and its distinct alternate capsule arrangement.

PKDS-8 – A black-seeded variety yielding 700-750 kg/ha, with tolerance to capsule borer and uniform maturity. Useful for farmers targeting the growing market for black sesame.

Farmers should consult their local agricultural extension services to identify the variety best suited to their specific region, season, and soil conditions.

Sowing time, seed rate, and spacing 🔗

In most parts of India, sesame is sown as a kharif crop from the last week of June to mid-July, coinciding with the onset of the monsoon. In southern and eastern states, it can also be cultivated as a summer crop (February-March) under irrigated conditions.

The seed rate depends on the sowing method. For broadcasting under rainfed conditions, approximately 5-7 kg/ha is used. For line sowing under irrigated conditions, the rate drops to 2.5-4 kg/ha. Line sowing is strongly recommended over broadcasting because it allows better spacing, easier weeding, and more uniform plant establishment. According to AICRP on Sesame, sowing at 30 cm × 10 cm spacing can reduce seed requirement by 30-40% compared to broadcasting while maximizing yield and economic returns.

Since sesame seeds are tiny, mixing them with dry sand in a 1:4 ratio before sowing ensures even distribution in the furrows.

Seed treatment 🔗

Seed treatment is a non-negotiable step for healthy crop establishment. Seeds should be treated with Thiram or Carbendazim at 2-3 g/kg of seed to protect against seed-borne fungal diseases. Where bacterial leaf spot is a known problem, soaking seeds in a 0.025% Agrimycin-100 solution for about 30 minutes before sowing helps reduce early infections. Using Trichoderma viride at 5 g/kg seed is an effective biological alternative for disease management.

Nutrient management 🔗

Balanced fertilisation is critical for achieving high sesame yields. The general recommendation for sesame is the application of 40-60 kg nitrogen (N) and 20-30 kg phosphorus (P₂O₅) per hectare, along with 20 kg potassium (K₂O) where needed. Half the nitrogen and the full dose of phosphorus and potassium should be applied as a basal dose at the time of sowing, with the remaining nitrogen top-dressed 30 days after sowing.

Research from the AICRP Sesame project shows that applying the recommended dose of fertiliser along with 2.5 tonnes of FYM, 20 kg zinc sulphate, and 25 kg ferrous sulphate per hectare gave the highest seed yield, oil yield, and economic returns across multiple locations. Adding sulphur at 20 kg/ha through gypsum also significantly improves seed yield and oil content.

For organic production systems, applying 75% of the recommended dose through inorganic sources combined with Azotobacter and PSB (phosphate solubilising bacteria) biofertilisers has shown promising results in maximising both seed and oil yield.

Water management 🔗

Sesame is often called a drought-tolerant crop, and it does manage better than many other oilseeds under limited moisture. However, strategic irrigation at critical growth stages makes a substantial difference. The crop needs approximately 400-500 mm of water across its growing season. The most critical stages for water are germination, flowering, and capsule (pod) filling.

Research from Krishi Jagran indicates that providing two irrigations of 3 cm depth each – once during the vegetative phase (4-5 leaf stage or branching) and once during the reproductive phase (flowering or pod formation) – can increase yield by 35-52%. In summer-irrigated sesame, irrigation at intervals of 10-15 days is recommended, totalling 5-6 sessions.

Irrigation should be stopped just before capsules begin to mature. Overwatering leads to root rot and increased susceptibility to fungal diseases. In rainfed areas, moisture conservation techniques like mulching and contour planting are effective. Applying 4 tonnes/ha of organic waste as vegetative mulch has been identified as one of the best in-situ moisture conservation techniques for sesame.

Weed management 🔗

Sesame is a poor competitor against weeds, especially in the first 30-40 days after sowing when it grows slowly. Unchecked weed growth during this period significantly reduces yield.

The recommended approach combines manual weeding and herbicide application. The first hand weeding should be done 15-20 days after sowing, and the second within 30-35 days. For herbicide-based management, pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin 30 EC at 0.50 kg/ha followed by one hand weeding at 20 days after sowing has proven effective, as reported by the ICAR AICRP Sesame programme. Another effective option is pre-emergence application of Alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha followed by hand hoeing at 30 days after sowing.

An innovative technique gaining attention is dibbling sesame seeds on plastic mulch, which has shown excellent control of grasses, sedges, and broad-leaved weeds in the kharif season.

Major pests of sesame and their management 🔗

Gall fly (Asphondylia sesami) 🔗

The gall fly is a serious pest that typically appears between September and November, during the crop’s transition from flowering to capsule development. The female fly lays eggs inside flower ovaries, causing flower abortion or malformed, stunted capsules that do not develop normally. Infested buds eventually wither and drop. Management involves removing and destroying infested buds to break the pest cycle, and spraying Acephate at 1.5 g/litre of water. Dimethoate at 1.5 ml/litre is another effective option for gall fly control.

Leaf roller and capsule borer (Antigastra catalaunalis) 🔗

This is one of the most damaging pests of sesame, attacking the crop from seedling stage onwards. Young larvae roll together the top leaves and feed inside, while older larvae bore into flower buds and developing capsules, feeding on seeds. In severe infestations, the plant fails to produce branches or capsules. Control measures include collecting and destroying larvae from leaf webs during early infestation, erecting bird perches at 40-50 per hectare, and spraying NSKE 5% (neem seed kernel extract) or Chlorpyriphos at 2.5 ml/litre.

Leafhoppers (Orosius albicinctus) 🔗

Leafhoppers are dangerous not just for their direct feeding damage – leaf curling, browning, and leaf drop – but because they are the primary vectors of phyllody disease. They remain active from the vegetative stage through capsule formation. Controlling leafhopper populations is essential for managing phyllody. Spraying Imidacloprid at 0.3 ml/litre or Dimethoate at 2 ml/litre of water effectively reduces their numbers.

Major diseases and their control 🔗

Phyllody 🔗

Phyllody is the most economically devastating disease of sesame, caused by a phytoplasma organism transmitted by leafhoppers. Infected plants show characteristic symptoms: floral parts transform into green leafy structures, the plant becomes stunted with shortened internodes and excessive branching, and flowers become completely sterile – producing no capsules or seeds. Yield losses from phyllody can reach 80-100% in severe outbreaks.

Since phytoplasma is an obligate pathogen, direct chemical control is not feasible. Management relies on an integrated approach: removing reservoir weed hosts like Parthenium and Crotalaria from around sesame fields, roguing out infected plants promptly, avoiding planting cotton, groundnut, or grain legumes adjacent to sesame, and controlling leafhopper vectors. Seed treatment with Imidacloprid 70% WG combined with foliar sprays of Imidacloprid 17.8% SL and tetracycline hydrochloride has shown the lowest disease incidence in field trials. Choosing resistant varieties like JTS-8, TKG-306, and PKDS-12 is one of the most practical long-term strategies.

Macrophomina stem and root rot (charcoal rot) 🔗

This disease affects sesame at all growth stages but is most severe at maturity. Symptoms begin as yellowing and drooping of lower leaves, followed by dark black lesions on the stem near the ground. The stem tissue eventually shreds, and the affected plant can be pulled out easily, leaving rotten roots behind. The disease thrives under high day temperatures (30-35°C) and low soil moisture conditions. Management includes deep summer ploughing, seed treatment with Carbendazim at 1 g/kg, use of Trichoderma viride at 10 g/kg, and application of FYM or neem cake. Spot drenching with copper oxychloride at 3 g/litre helps contain localised outbreaks.

Alternaria leaf blight and Cercospora leaf spot 🔗

Both these fungal diseases cause leaf spots that expand and coalesce, leading to premature defoliation and reduced photosynthesis. They are favoured by low temperatures (20-25°C) and high humidity above 80%. Seed treatment with Thiram or Mancozeb at 3 g/kg, followed by foliar sprays of Carbendazim + Mancozeb at 2.5 g/litre or Propiconazole at 1 ml/litre, provides effective control.

Powdery mildew 🔗

Powdery mildew appears as a greyish-white powdery growth on the upper surface of lower leaves, eventually covering the entire leaf and even flowers and capsules in severe cases. It is favoured by dry, humid weather with relative humidity below 70%. Removing infected plant debris and spraying Wettable Sulphur at 3 g/litre or Myclobutanil at 1 g/litre controls the disease effectively.

Harvesting and yield expectations 🔗

Sesame matures in about 80-110 days depending on the variety and season. Harvesting should begin when leaves and stems turn yellow and the lower capsules change to a lemon-yellow colour. The plants are cut at ground level and stacked in upright bundles for 3-4 days to dry, after which they are beaten with sticks to release the seeds from opened capsules. It is important not to delay harvesting until the crop is fully dead-ripe, as this causes seed shattering and significant losses.

With improved varieties, proper agronomic management, and effective pest and disease control, farmers can realistically target yields of 700-1000 kg/ha under rainfed conditions and up to 1200-1500 kg/ha under irrigated management. For many smallholder farmers in dryland regions, sesame remains one of the most profitable crop choices due to its low input cost and strong market demand.

What do you think? Given that phyllody disease can devastate an entire sesame crop, how important is it for farmers to invest in vector management alongside resistant varieties? And with sesame’s low water requirement and high market value, could it become a more prominent crop in water-scarce regions of India?

References

1. https://icar-iior.org.in/sites/default/files/iiorcontent/pops/sesame.pdf
2. https://krishijagran.com/crop-calendar/sesame-cultivation/
3. https://krishijagran.com/agripedia/grow-more-earn-more-improved-sesame-varieties-and-practices-for-mp-chhattisgarh-farmers/
4. https://aicrp.icar.gov.in/sesame/achievements/major-achievements/
5. https://krishinetra.com/june2024/009.pdf
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1226861524000748
7. https://journalijpss.com/index.php/IJPSS/article/view/4230