Best Sesame Sowing Times and Profit Per Mu, with the 2020 Production Technical Guidance
Sesame, also called flax, sesame, and oil hemp, is a common oilseed crop grown in many parts of China. So when is the best time to sow sesame? How much is the profit per mu? What is the 2020 sesame production technical guidance? Let's take a look below.
1. When is the best time to sow sesame?
Sesame comes in two types, summer sesame and autumn sesame. Among them, the suitable sowing period for summer sesame is from late May to early June. The suitable sowing period for autumn sesame is early to mid-July, and can be delayed to late July when heat conditions are favorable.
2. How much is the profit per mu of sesame?
Sesame comes in black and white types. Black sesame has a higher yield than white sesame, but its oil content is lower than that of white sesame. Generally, the yield per mu is around 100 kg, the whole growth period is about 95 days, and the income per mu is about 3,000 yuan.
3. 2020 sesame production technical guidance!
In late April, spring sesame production areas in South China, Northwest China, and Northeast China successively began sowing, and summer sesame production areas in the Huang-Huai, Jiang-Huai, and Yangtze River basins began preparing for sowing. The National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, together with the Oilseed Expert Steering Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, proposed the 2020 sesame production technical guidance based on the planting habits and cultivation characteristics of different ecological regions.
1. Sow at the right time and plant at a reasonable density. Select high-quality specialized varieties with strong disease resistance and waterlogging tolerance according to local conditions, and plant them in concentrated, contiguous plots as much as possible to improve the consistency of commercial quality. Sesame seeds are small, so sowing should not be too deep, generally 2—3 cm; sowing when soil moisture is suitable after rain can achieve full emergence in one sowing; if rain occurs after sowing, break up the surface crust in time to facilitate germination and emergence. In the Huang-Huai and Jiang-Huai summer sesame production areas, after wheat or rapeseed harvest, sowing in a timely manner with suitable soil moisture is the key to high yield. No-till direct seeding or rotary tillage drilling can be used, with equal row spacing of 40 cm or wide-narrow row spacing of 60:20 cm. The suitable sowing period is from late May to early June; in the Yangtze River basin and southern production areas, “furrow and bed cultivation” can be used, with the sowing period preferably from mid-to-late May to early June, and in southern production areas no later than late July; in the above production areas, the sowing rate per mu is 0.3—0.4 kg, and the planting density is 10,000—15,000 plants/mu. In the South China triple-cropping production areas, summer sowing and autumn sowing are the main methods, and no-till mechanical direct seeding can be used, with the suitable sowing period in mid-to-late June; for autumn-sown sesame when soil moisture is poor, “double-layer sowing by seizing moisture” can be used, with the suitable sowing period in early to mid-July, a sowing rate of 0.4—0.5 kg per mu, and a density of 20,000—25,000 plants/mu. In the Northwest, Northeast, and North China single-cropping sesame production areas, plastic film mulching or drip irrigation under film can be used in arid areas of the Northwest, ridge planting can be used in North China, and in areas of the Northeast with strong wind and sand, “deep sowing and shallow emergence sowing” is suitable; the sowing period in the Northwest and North China is early to mid-May, and in the Northeast it is mid-to-late May; in the above production areas, the sowing rate is 0.4—0.5 kg, and the planting density is 12,000—15,000 plants/mu; in production, sowing with moisture conservation is the key to full emergence in one sowing and achieving high yield; delayed sowing should appropriately increase density to ensure population yield.
2. Scientific fertilization and rational irrigation. Sesame fertilization should be determined according to variety characteristics, soil fertility conditions, target yield, and so on, generally with basal fertilizer as the main component and topdressing as a supplement, to achieve balanced fertilization. Early-maturing shorter varieties require less fertilizer, while mid-to-late-maturing taller varieties require more fertilizer; for a yield of 100—150 kg per mu, generally apply 25—30 kg of compound fertilizer per mu as basal fertilizer, and topdress 8—10 kg of urea at the early flowering stage. For fields with poor seedling growth, an additional 2—3 kg of urea can be applied once. Sesame requires less water at the seedling stage, and when sowing with sufficient soil moisture, generally no irrigation is needed at the seedling stage; moderate drought is beneficial for root growth and for strengthening seedlings. The flowering stage is sensitive to water and has the highest water demand. When leaves begin to wilt, irrigate promptly by furrow irrigation or sprinkler irrigation in the morning and evening, and avoid flood irrigation and field waterlogging. If drought occurs in the late growth stage, irrigate promptly, and drain field water immediately after irrigation; drain promptly during waterlogging to avoid waterlogging damage. In the Huang-Huai, Jiang-Huai, and Yangtze River basin production areas, the “three ditches” should be kept unobstructed throughout the entire growth period of sesame to prevent waterlogging damage. In the South China production area, during the early and middle growth stages of summer sesame, there is abundant rain and high humidity, so ditches should be opened and beds made, and narrow-bed planting should be used.
3. Prevention first and green control. The sesame seedling stage is a key period for the control of diseases, insects, and weeds. Seed dressing before sowing and attention before and after thinning should be paid to preventing Fusarium wilt and stem spot blight. In North China, Northeast China, and Northwest China, spraying herbicides before sowing and using plastic film mulching after sowing can be adopted to control weeds; for fields that have not undergone soil sealing treatment before emergence, herbicides can be sprayed after emergence to control seedling-stage weeds; at the seedling stage, mainly control pests such as cutworms and crickets; at the flowering and capsule-setting stage, focus on controlling cotton bollworm; after the full flowering stage, focus on controlling leaf spot disease; at the same time, also pay attention to controlling aphids and thrips. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and southern sesame production areas, attention should also be paid to preventing bacterial wilt and Phytophthora blight. In case of waterlogging disaster, topdress nitrogen fertilizer in time, spray foliar fertilizer, and promote root growth and protect leaves.
4. Strengthen field management and harvest at the right time. Sesame grows slowly at the seedling stage and absorbs little nutrients and water, so it should be promoted first and then controlled, promoting root growth and restraining excessive growth. Thin seedlings around the 2 pairs of true leaves, and finalize the stand at 4—5 pairs of true leaves. After 15—20 days from emergence, intertillage and hilling can be carried out to achieve strong seedlings and early development. Entering the bud and flowering stage, growth and development accelerate, nutrient and water demand is high, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptake accounts for 90% of the whole growth period, so the focus should be on combining promotion and control to achieve steady growth. When sesame approaches row closure, carry out intertillage, ditch cleaning, and hilling in the wide rows for open-field sesame and between the two ridges for film-mulched sesame, and remove weeds in the wide rows or ditches. Strive for more buds and more flowers, reduce bud and flower shedding, extend the flowering and capsule-setting period as much as possible, and build a good framework for high yield. In fields sown on stubble without tillage, topdress 8—10 kg of urea per mu at the early flowering stage to prevent flower and capsule shedding; if growth is too vigorous, an appropriate amount of chlormequat can be sprayed to avoid excessive growth and lodging. The flowering stage is sensitive to the external environment and has poor disease resistance and waterlogging tolerance. If continuous rainy weather occurs, drain field water in time to prevent waterlogging and disease. In case of drought, timely drought relief should be carried out where conditions permit. Entering the final flowering stage, field management focuses on preventing premature senescence, preventing lodging, and promoting grain filling. In the late growth stage, foliar fertilizer can be appropriately sprayed to prevent leaf senescence and help grain filling. After maturity, harvest at the right time. When most leaves of the plant have fallen and the lower capsules are slightly cracked, it can be harvested. Where conditions permit, segmented harvesting can be implemented, with mechanical cutting and laying down (bundling), drying in swaths, and threshing; it can also be harvested and then stacked in small bundles for drying, covered in heaps before rain to prevent mildew, threshed in time, winnowed to remove impurities, and stored properly.
Sesame cultivation is not very difficult, but because the soil, climate, and other conditions differ by region, the planting time and techniques vary slightly, so everyone should make corresponding adjustments according to actual conditions and should not blindly copy them.