Sesamum indicum
Names: Sesamum orientale.
English: Sesame.
Dutch: Sesam.
Arabic: Saasim; Simsim.
Indonesian: Wijen; Bijen.
Genus: 40 species.
Region: unknown origin, possibly northeast Africa or India.
Habitat: warm temperate zone to tropics, growing season of at least 5 months; daytime temperatures from 20 - 30°c; mean annual rainfall; well-drained porous soil; warm sunny sheltered position; pH in the range 5.5 - 7.5; susceptible to wind damage, too much rain; grows well with sweet corn; grows badly with sorghum.
Cultural: used since at least 2,000 BC; yield of sesame seed 350 kilos up to 3 tonnes per hectare.
Content: 21.5% protein, 60.8% fat, 8.9% carbohydrate, 3.4% ash; unsaturated fatty acids, calcium and vitamins A, B and E; antioxidants.
Use
Seeds give edible, semi-drying oil, for cooking, in margarines, very stable for years without turning rancid; for soap making, paints, lighting, lubricant, carrier of pharmaceutical drugs; insecticide pyrethrum it acts as a synergist, a 10% content of oil doubling the potency of the pyrethrum; protect the skin from harmful UV light radiation; leaves as tobacco; stems, dry stalks for fuel, construction material, building shelters; seeds roasted or stewed, ground into a powder, flour, added to breads, vegetables, for sweetmeats; crushed as a butter; fermented into 'tempeh', ground into a powder and mixed with a sweetener makes 'halva'; as a paste 'tahini'; toasted seeds in soups, mixed with caramelized sugar, into candies; seeds on cakes, rolls and cookies before baking; sprouts in salads; leaves raw or cooked as a potherb or added to soups; ash as a substitute for salt, a good source of minerals.
Botany
Variable, erect, annual plant, up to 3 metres tall; branched or unbranched.
Root: strongly tapering taproot up to 90 cm long.
Pollination: self.