The sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a plant belonging to the family of Pedaliaceae. The cultivated sesame species is probably native to Ethiopia and is considered among the oldest oil plants used in human nutrition. Even at the beginning of the third millennium BC this herbaceous species was one of the most important crops in the Persian region, from which it spread both to the east, towards India, China and Japan, and to the west, towards Europe. Later, first the Greeks and Romans, then the Arabs, contributed to its spread in the Mediterranean basin. Today the world’s largest producers are India, China and other Asian countries. In Italy it is a marginal cultivation, historically practiced in Sicily, but which should be enhanced, due to the excellent demand that the finished product has on the market. In fact, sesame is in great demand in the form of seeds and oil.

In this article we see the botanical classification of the plant, the cultivation techniques, the properties and uses of the Sesame seeds andsesame oil.

Description of the sesame plant

Sesame plant
The plant Sesamum indicum it is a herbaceous species with taproot, which develops erect stems of 30-60 cm in height. The stems are more or less branched, with a quadrangular section, covered with hairs. The leaves are also inserted on the stems, opposite in the basal part and alternating above. These are devoid of stipules, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, briefly toothed and opaque green.
The flowers are zygomorphic and hermaphrodite, solitary or in groups of 2-3. They are placed in an axillary position on the upper part of the stem. They are also briefly pedunculated, the color varies from white with dark spots, up to pale red or pink. Furthermore, they fertilize autonomously, since the plant is self-fertile.

Sesame seeds

sesame capsules
Sesame seeds are contained in erect and oblong shaped, dehiscent capsules. Each capsule contains 50-80 seeds of small, rather flattened, oval shape with pointed apex, smooth surface. The color varies from white to yellow, brown to red and black. The weight of 1000 seeds varies between 2 and 3.5 g.

Black sesame

There are numerous varieties grown around the world, which are distinguished mainly by the color of the seed. For example the black sesame (which you find in specialized stores) is particularly appreciated in China and Japan, where it is the protagonist of numerous typical oriental recipes. In Europe, white sesame is more consumed.

The cultivation of sesame

Ispica sesame
This Pedaliaceae it cannot stand the cold and needs high temperatures throughout its crop cycle. In Italy it is therefore cultivated in the southern regions, especially in Sicily. Famous and particularly valuable is the sesame from Ispica (province of Ragusa, in the extreme south of the island) introduced at the time of the Arabic denomination.
Sesame, therefore, is a plant that adapts to a drought climate, however it benefits from rainfall, at least sporadic. In a totally drought season, the crop requires emergency irrigation.

Ground

As for the soil, sesame cultivation prefers alluvial or silty-sandy soils, with neutral pH and a good supply of organic matter. It is intolerant to saline soils and can also adapt to sub-acidic and sub-alkaline soils.

Fertilization

A sesame cultivation takes advantage of the basic organic fertilization made with the well-matured bovine manure. In autumn, before the soil preparation work, about 20-30 t of manure should be distributed per hectare.

Tillage of the land

Sesame is typically a renewal crop, for example in Sicily it is sown after a short-cycle winter crop.
The preparation of the soil can be carried out with a superficial plowing (which buryes the fertilizer), followed by refinement in 1-2 steps, depending on whether or not you want to carry out the false sowing for the containment of weeds.

Period

Sesame flowers
Sesame is a short-day plant, that is, sensitive to photoperiodism. In practical terms this means that flowering begins and then the ripening of the seeds when the hours of darkness begin to increase significantly compared to the hours of light. This occurs in late summer until the autumn equinox, from which time the hours of darkness are higher. A plant that behaves in a similar way is the cannabis sativa. Sesame is then sown in late spring, usually in April and May, when the soils are warm enough. The harvest takes place in a gradual manner from late August to September and beyond, depending on the variety and the sowing time.

Sowing

Sesame is sown with classic wheat seeders in regular rows 60-70 cm apart and using 6-8 kg per hectare of seed. Following the emergence of the seedlings, it is usually good to proceed with manual thinning, leaving 1 seedling every 20 cm on the row and bridging the failures.

Weed control

In addition to the false seeding technique, weeds on sesame fields can be kept under control with periodic weeding and hoeing, especially in the early stages of growth of the seedling.

Diseases and parasites

Sesame crops can suffer from the attack of some fungal pathogens, in particular Cercospora spp., Alternaria spp, Macrophomina phaseolina. In soils subject to this type of disease, an excellent preventive action can be done mycorrhization of the soil. In this way we will have a natural defense against diseases and a better yield of the crop thanks to the beneficial support provided by mycorrhizae to the root system.
As for pests, the worst ones for the sesame plant are the aphids in spring. To avoid problems of crop decay, it is advisable to intervene with potassic soaps or natural pyrethrum at the first signs of infestation.

Sesame harvest

The sesame must be harvested before the dehisced capsules open and the seeds fall to the ground.
Leaf yellowing is usually expected as a sign that the harvest can begin. The plants are cut and then placed in swaths to complete drying in the sun and subsequently be threshed.
To maximize the quality of the seed (especially if it is not destined to turn into oil), in Ispica the harvesting and extraction process is carried out entirely by hand. The dried plants are then beaten on cloths and the seeds are sieved with special sieves.

Yields

Crop yields vary from 0.8-1 t / ha of seeds in crops without irrigation support, up to 1-1.5 t / ha in irrigated sesame fields.

Properties and uses of sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are made up of 45-60% oila very high percentage, just think that that of olive oil reaches a maximum of around 25%.
The oily fraction contains oleic acid, linoleic acid and other saturated fatty acids, especially palmitic and stearic. The seeds are also rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Therefore, a complete food, even quite caloric with 573 kcal per 100 g of seeds.
The seeds, whether whole, peeled or toasted, are used as an added ingredient in: salads, breads, savory pies, ornaments for baked goods in general, muesli, desserts, traditional sweets.
If you want to try them, you can find white sesame seeds in shops dedicated to agriculture.

Tahina

tahina
A separate discussion deserves the tahina, a cream made with sesame seeds very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. In practice, the white sesame seeds are lightly toasted and then reduced to flour, to which sesame oil is added until a creamy paste is obtained.
Tahini is used as an ingredient in many typical recipes, such as falafel or hummus, or as an accompanying sauce for meat dishes.
Very special is also the tahini made with black sesame seeds, therefore a very dark cream.
You can find tahini for sale in oriental food shops.

Properties and uses of sesame oil

Sesame seeds and oil
As mentioned, an excellent quality oil is extracted from sesame seeds. It is odorless, light in color, with a low tendency to go rancid thanks to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids. The oil obtained is used primarily as a food, for raw condiments as it spoils with cooking.
In the food industry, sesame oil is mainly used for the production of margarines.
Other interesting uses are those in cosmetics for the production of soaps and in pharmaceuticals as a support for fat-soluble drugs in the manufacture of ointments and ointments.
It also has a pharmacological action exploited in veterinary medicine. Spread on the skin of the animal, it prevents the breathing of any parasites causing their death.
Sesame oil can also be found on sale in online store.

Let's talk about "Sesame. Cultivation and properties of seeds and oil" with our community!
Start a new Thread

Philip Owell

Professional blogger, here to bring you new and interesting content every time you visit our blog.