What are the growing conditions for sesame? A detailed guide to the latest cultivation requirements
Sesame is something we are all very familiar with and often see in daily life. It has a wide range of uses and is present in many foods. In addition, sesame is one of China's important oilseed crops and is grown across an extremely wide area in China. So what conditions are needed to grow sesame? Let's take a look together.
1. Soil requirements
Sesame is suited to growing in soil that is loose in texture, relatively fertile and easy to drain and irrigate. It has fairly strict soil requirements, with sandy loam being the most suitable, and it is also suitable for mildly silted soil and alluvial soil. However, swamp soil, saline soil and low-lying land are not suitable for growing sesame. These soils are too heavy and sticky, and in drought or after rain the soil very easily becomes compacted or hardened, which is not conducive to seedling emergence and in severe cases leads to missing plants and broken rows. It also restricts root development, affecting the root system's ability to absorb fertilizer and water, causing the plants to grow weakly and slowly, making them highly prone to pests and diseases and reducing yield and quality.
2. Water requirements
Generally speaking, sesame is relatively drought-tolerant, but its water needs differ at different growth stages, and it has a relatively high water requirement especially from sowing to before seedling emergence. This is because sesame seeds are tiny and the seedlings grow slowly, so if the soil is too dry, they cannot emerge normally, and even after emergence the seedlings will grow slowly. However, water should not be excessive either. Too much soil moisture during the seedling stage very easily causes the seedlings to turn yellow and become thin and small, and in severe cases it can also cause seed rot, root rot and seedling death. Moreover, sensitivity to waterlogging is a prominent characteristic of sesame. Generally, when soil moisture content reaches above 90%, it will cause waterlogging damage, resulting in root rot, wilting of stems and leaves, and seedling death.
3. Temperature requirements
Sesame is a warmth-loving plant and needs an accumulated temperature of 2500-3000 degrees throughout its growth period. The minimum temperature for seed germination is 12 degrees, while normal seedling emergence requires above 16 degrees, but above 40 degrees the seeds cannot germinate normally. Its optimum growth temperature is 20-24 degrees; below 5 degrees, the seedlings will grow spindly and the root system will rot from freeze damage. In addition, low temperatures also have a great impact on its flowering; when the temperature at flowering is below 20 degrees, the number of flowers will decrease markedly. During the seed-setting stage, if the temperature is high, the plant accumulates more nutrients and the oil content is high; conversely, if the temperature is low, it is unfavorable for the accumulation and formation of oil.
4. Light requirements
Sesame is a short-day plant and needs ample light throughout its growth period. Sufficient light can noticeably raise soil temperature and enable it to emerge quickly and uniformly. Sesame has a long flowering and capsule-setting period, and ample light conditions can enhance its photosynthesis and the accumulation of quality nutrients, meeting its flowering needs, enabling it to produce many capsules with full seeds and favoring the formation of oil. Generally, in regions with insufficient light and frequent rain, its yield is usually lower, which shows how important light is for sesame.
The above is an introduction to the growing conditions for sesame. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.