Sesame

Sesame (Sesamum indicum), also known as benne, is a plant belonging to the genus Sesamum. Its seeds boast one of the highest oil contents of any seed and are prized globally for their rich, nutty flavor. Many wild relatives of sesame are found in Africa, with fewer in India, and the plant has become widely naturalized in tropical regions worldwide. In 2024, global production reached 6.7 million tonnes, led by India, Myanmar, and Sudan.

Sesame is one of the oldest oilseed crops, domesticated over 3,000 years ago. While most species in the genus are wild and native to sub-Saharan Africa, the cultivated species, S. indicum, originated in India. The plant is drought-tolerant, thriving where other crops fail. Sesame allergies are relatively common compared to other foods.

The plant is a perennial that grows 50 to 100 cm tall. Its leaves are opposite, 4 to 14 cm long, with smooth edges; they are broad and lance-shaped at the base, narrowing on the flowering stem. Tubular flowers, 2.5 to 3 cm long, range in color from white to pink or purple. The fruit is a hairy capsule, 2 to 3 cm long and 0.6 to 1.2 cm wide, containing four compartments. Seeds are small, typically 3 to 4 mm, ovate and slightly flattened, and can be white or black. A sample of 100 seeds from Ibadan, Nigeria, weighed 0.203 grams.

Carl Linnaeus described the species as Sesamum indicum in 1753. The word "sesame" comes from Latin sesamum and Greek sēsamon, derived from ancient Semitic languages like Akkadian šamaššamu, with roots meaning "oil" or "liquid fat." The specific epithet indicum means "of India." "Benne" entered English in 1769 from the Gullah language, which borrowed it from Malinke bĕne.

Archaeological evidence of charred sesame from around 3500–3050 BC indicates domestication in the Indian subcontinent at least 5,500 years ago. Trade between Mesopotamia and the Indian subcontinent occurred by 2000 BC, and the Indus Valley civilization may have exported sesame oil to Mesopotamia. Ancient Egyptians cultivated sesame, calling it sesemt; it appears in the Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 BC) as a medicinal drug, and baskets of sesame were found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb (c. 1350 BC). By 750 BC, sesame was grown and pressed for oil in the empire of Urartu. Some believe it may have originated in Ethiopia. Historically, sesame thrived in areas where other crops failed, earning it the nickname "survivor crop" from breeder Derald Ray Langham. In the early 20th century, sesame oil was a compulsory ingredient in European margarine to help detect adulteration of butter. Around 1920, Burma exported about 197,400 tons of sesame oil annually.

Sesame varieties adapt to many soil types but yield best on fertile, well-drained soils with neutral pH. They have low tolerance for salty or waterlogged conditions. Commercial crops need 90 to 120 frost-free days, with warm temperatures above 23°C favoring growth. Flowering and seed oil content depend on photoperiod; longer days increase oil content, which is inversely related to protein content. The plant’s extensive root system aids drought tolerance, though adequate moisture is needed for germination and early growth. Yields drop significantly under drought or excess water, with moisture levels before planting and flowering most critical. Most commercial cultivars cannot tolerate waterlogging. Late-season rain prolongs growth and increases seed loss from pod shattering; wind can also cause shattering at harvest.

Sesame seeds are protected by a capsule that bursts when ripe. Because the timing of this bursting varies, farmers cut plants by hand and stand them upright to continue ripening until all capsules open. A 1943 discovery of an indehiscent mutant (which does not shatter) helped improve harvest efficiency.