Hutchinson, Kansas
September 15, 2008
Traditional agriculture in Kansas
means wheat, grain sorghum, corn and soybeans, but environmental
changes in recent years have opened the door to crops such as
cotton, canola - and now sesame.
"Sesame is a centuries-old oilseed crop that has typically been
grown for the oil content in its seeds," said
Kansas State University
agronomist Vic Martin. "Its oil is used as a salad or cooking
oil and in shortening, margarine and soap. But in recent years
it has been grown in the southern Plains for its seeds - mainly
for
`confectionary´ purposes on buns and as a condiment."
Now, K-State Research and Extension scientists are studying the
crop as a potential alternative crop for south central and
southwest Kansas.
Climatic changes in recent years resulting in somewhat warmer
temperatures have opened the door to the possibility of growing
crops in Kansas that have not been feasible before, said K-State
Research and Extension scientist Bill Heer. He and Martin are in
their second year of conducting field trials in south central
Kansas to determine the crop´s suitability for Kansas.
"Sesame is extremely drought-, heat-, and insect-tolerant and
develops a deep tap-root," Martin said. "It needs less water
than corn, soybeans, grain sorghum and cotton and has no
significant disease or insect problems currently in this
region."
Previous efforts to grow sesame resulted in shattering problems,
which made mechanical harvesting difficult, Martin said.
However, new non-shattering varieties and increased global
demand have renewed interest in the crop that can be planted and
harvested using the same equipment as traditional crops such as
wheat.
"There are five non-shattering varieties currently available
with three likely well-adapted to Kansas," the agronomist said.
Sesame´s potential as a double-crop after wheat harvest looks
promising, Martin said, and it is a good broadleaf to interrupt
pest cycles. Since sesame is a tropical crop, the key to
double-cropping is planting as soon after wheat harvest as
possible.
"Sesame requires low levels of inputs, particularly fertilizer,
for optimal yields," he said.
Seed prices and contracts are competitive with other dryland
summer crops, especially when one takes into account that input
costs are lower than most traditional crops, he added.
Some other characteristics and cautions of the crop, Martin
said, include:
- Typical height of 3 to 4
feet, but as high as 6 feet.
- Physiological maturity
comes about 100 days after emergence, with drydown to
harvest from 125 to 140 days.
- Seed is produced in
capsules (pods) - approximately 70 seeds per pod. It is
harvested at 6 percent moisture with dryland yields of 600
to 800 pounds per acre and irrigated yields of up to 1200
pounds per
acre. There are typically 130,000 to 150,000 seeds per
pound.
- Growth is slow for the
first 30 days. A good, clean seedbed is necessary to carry
the crop until rapid growth begins.
- Only two herbicides are
labeled in the United States for weed control.
- Extremely susceptible to
2,4-D and drift from other phenoxy herbicides.
- Tall, standing wheat
residue can inhibit early plant growth and development.
Sesame in Oklahoma and Texas is
planted in 15- to 40-inch row spacing, Martin said.
"We (K-State) are evaluating current and experimental varieties
in narrower rows because of a more limited growing season and
for improving weed control," he added. "Work at K-State is also
focusing on nitrogen fertilizer levels, seeding rates, and
variety evaluation."
In 2009, the scientists plan to expand the research to several
sites in the area to better evaluate sesame across a range of
soil types and elevations.
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas
State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative
Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute
useful knowledge for the well being of Kansans. Supported by
county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county
Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and
regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the
K-State campus in Manhattan. |
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