Lima beans.

Pole beans.
Corn.
Cowpeas, black-eyed peas and field peas.
Edible amaranth.
Quinoa.
Mustard greens.
Okra.

americas-test-2
March 6, 201712:05 PMUpdated 6 years ago
Factbox - From new beans to ancient plants, drought-busting crops take root

By Anastasia Moloney, Thomson Reuters Foundation

BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As farmers worldwide experience more frequent

drought and erratic rainfall linked to climate change, the race to find and improve
drought-resistant crops grows ever more important.

In recent decades, research has increased to see how food crops cope with dry
conditions, and scientists are breeding and crossing seeds to make them more
drought-tolerant.

But major obstacles exist in scaling up their use.

“Getting new crop varieties into the hands of a large number of farmers quickly is
the challenge,” said Robert Asiedu, head of biotechnology and genetic improvement
at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, a research center based in
Nigeria.

“It can be five to 10 years before large quantities of new varieties reach
farmers... That’s the main bottleneck now.”

It is crucial for farmers to grow drought-resistant crops as part of a range of

pro-active measures, experts say.

For example, soil degradation and deforestation exacerbate the effects of drought
because soil loses its ability to retain water, so farmers must improve soil
fertility and irrigation practices.

Below are some of the drought-tolerant crops and methods farmers across the world
are using to combat drought:
1. INTERCROPPING

Staple food crops like sorghum, cassava, sweet potato, pearl millet, cowpea and
groundnut are naturally more drought-tolerant than maize.

For centuries, farmers in parts of West Africa have grown maize alongside cassava
and sweet potatoes.

The practice known as intercropping - growing two or more crops together - means
farmers have another crop to fall back on when maize harvests fail because of poor
rainfall.

Intercropping was introduced to maize farmers in East Africa in the 1990s.

2. COWPEA
Cowpea, also known as black-eyed pea, is mainly grown by small farmers in more than
80 countries, from Nigeria to Brazil.

Cowpea thrives in parched soils and drought-prone areas where its roots can grow
with as little as 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rainfall per year. Once cowpea seeds have
enough moisture to take root, the plants can survive drought.

The stems and stalks of the high protein grain can also be used as fodder for
livestock.

Often intercropped with maize and cotton, cowpea plants provide shade and dense
cover that help protect soil and preserve moisture.

Researchers are trying to map the genes found in cowpea to produce improved
drought-resistant varieties.
3. CHICKPEA

Chickpea is one of the most important grain legume crops in the world. Thanks to
its drought resistance, it is widely grown among small farmers in dryland areas of
South Asia and in China.

Scientists in Australia are leading the way in research to enhance drought

tolerance in chickpeas and to better understand how the food crop adapts to
prolonged dry spells.
4. EARLY MATURING CROPS

Shifting rainfall patterns, often linked to climate change, have shortened the
rainy season in many countries worldwide.

Hardest hit are small-scale and subsistence farmers as they largely depend on rain-
fed crops for their livelihoods.

To adapt, farmers are increasingly planting new varieties of food crops that take
less time to grow.

New varieties need 90 to 110 days to mature - against 120 days plus for traditional
crops - and can survive without rain for three weeks.

In recent years, early-maturing food crops have been adopted by tens of millions of
farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
5. ANCIENT PLANTS

Chia, a flowering plant, is grown for its edible seeds and is known to thrive in
hot and dry weather.

Once widely grown by the ancient Aztecs of Central America, chia is being
rediscovered by small farmers across Latin America, including Guatemala, Bolivia,
Nicaragua and Ecuador.

High in protein, chia seeds can be eaten whole, ground into flour and pressed for
oil.
6. TARWI

With its brilliant blue blossom, the tarwi pea plant stands out from the rest in
the field.

Once grown centuries ago by the Incas, more Andean subsistence farming communities,
particularly in Bolivia’s highlands, are growing tarwi again.
The drought-resistant seeds are nutritious, high in protein and a source of cooking
oil.
7. NEW MAIZE VARIETIES

Maize is one of the world’s most important cereal crops.

In the past decade, farmers - especially in sub-Saharan Africa - have tried new
strains that can withstand drought, allowing crops to grow when there is little or
no rain.

Maize has also been genetically modified to include the desired DNA traits that
thrive in drought conditions.

A 2010 study found that the widespread adoption of drought-tolerant varieties could
boost maize harvests in 13 African countries by 10-34 percent.
8. NEW BEAN VARIETIES

Beans feature on any given plate in most of Latin America.

In drought-hit Central America - Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras - prolonged

dry spells since mid-2014, linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon, have decimated
food harvests.

In 2015 alone, drought in these countries left 3.5 million people in need of food
aid, prompting scientists to look for varieties of bean that can withstand drought.

“It is a priority in all the research centers to develop these new varieties of
crops,” said Tito Diaz, subregional coordinator for Mesoamerica at the U.N. Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Some have been successful, as in El Salvador.

Farmers there recently started to grow a new variety of drought-tolerant bean,

named after the country’s National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology
(CENTA) where the research took place. The CENTA-EAC bean is a hybrid, made from
crossing black and red beans after years of trial and error.

In Nicaragua, farmers are also growing a new variety of red bean, INTA-Tomabu,
which can thrive with little rainfall.

Sources: FAO, global research partnership CGIAR, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation

Reuters News Now

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Grains
Sesame Plant: Drought-Tolerant Seed Crop
by Sarah Jay
|
June 24, 2021
Sesame seeds

Have you ever seen a sesame plant? Surely you’re familiar with sesame seeds, sesame
oil, and tahini. But have you tried growing sesame plants for sesame oil yourself?
If not, here’s your chance!

Sesame or Sesamum indicum is grown all over the world as a food crop in hot dry
areas, like India and Africa. There are records of its growth in China over 5000
years ago. Tahini, a well-loved food (not just among people in the Mediterranean
and the Middle East), is ground sesame seeds. Search for sesame seeds and you’ll
find them almost any place.

Whether you want to share seed from your garden with family or you want to grow a
drought-tolerant plant, sesame is for you. Sesame’s stalks grow up to three feet
tall, and its bell-shaped flowers are lovely to look at. Search local seed
distributors for your favorite variety and you’ll have a fresh crop of seeds in 13
weeks!

Good Products At Amazon For Growing Sesame:

Neem Bliss 100% Cold Pressed Neem Oil

Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap
Monterey BT Worm & Caterpillar Killer
Southern Ag Liquid Copper Fungicide

Quick Care Guide

Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are extremely popular worldwide. Source: Eduà
Common Name(s) Sesame, benne, gingelly, sim sim, til
Scientific Name Sesamum indicum
Days to Harvest 90 to 110 days or 13 to 16 weeks
Light Full sun
Water 16 to 18 inches annually
Soil Fertile, well-drained with a pH of 5 to 8
Fertilizer High nitrogen slow release and foliar feed
Pests Aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, cutworms, leaf rollers
Diseases Phyllody, phytophthora blight, dry root rot, alternaria blight, damping
off
All About Sesame
Sesame plant
Sesame plants are really quite beautiful. Source: fredwlangjr

Sesamum indicum is commonly known as sesame, benne, gingelly, sim sim, and til.
This drought-tolerant flowering plant originates in India and grows wild in Africa
and other tropical regions around the world. It’s a staple of Middle Eastern
cuisine and medicine with origins many hundreds of years ago.

Sesame plants are beautiful. Green leaves grow opposite on a central stem. Your
sesame may reach up to 3.5 feet tall. They produce a beautiful white, pink, blue,
or purple bell-shaped flower that emerges from the pedicel. When it’s harvest time,
flowers become fruit that dry and form seed capsules.
Sesame plants produce fruit annually and are slow to grow from seed. It’s
recommended growers start sesame seeds indoors in early spring or late winter. They
bloom in summer, and fruit before the first frost. Pods are collected before they
open and placed in a container to prevent shattering. The seeds are small, less
than 3 millimeters, and range in color from white to dark brown or black. Most
people cultivate benne for seeds and oil. The leaves of a benne plant are edible,
but they are bland in flavor.

In Japan, sesame seeds have a long history. Japanese foods incorporate this crop in
many forms: fermented, pressed, and ground for seasoning.

Sesame has purported medicinal applications around the world. For example, in
Taiwan, sesame oil is used to prevent inflammation. Using this oil instead of olive
or canola oil may decrease high blood pressure. It’s sold in capsules for
supplementary value because each seed contains properties highly beneficial to
health.

Some varieties of sesame plants produce multicolored seeds, like Black and Tan
Sesame. This sesame plant blooms pink bell-shaped flowers and pods contain black
and tan sesame seed.
Planting Sesame Plant
Sesame field
A Korean sesame field. Source: eekim

Plant sesame seed indoors at least two months before summer, or outdoors just after
the last frost. This gives benne adequate time for germination. Sesame plants need
full sun throughout the growing season, and slightly alkaline, well-draining, and
somewhat fertile soil. Young seeds need moist conditions at first.

For maximum yields, plant sesame plants in large swaths. They can also be
cultivated in containers. Yields are smaller in pots, but crops can be substantial
if planting in the garden is not possible. A good number of seeds come from just
one plant.

If the pod goes through a process of shattering, you might unwittingly spread
sesame more than you want. If you’ve decided to plant in the ground rather than in
containers, a shatter-resistant variety may be better suited to your needs.
However, non-shatter-resistant varieties do better in containers.

Planting sesame seeds is easy. Just place seeds less than one inch under a soil-
less growing mix and keep them moist until they germinate. After germination,
reduce watering to once per week. Keep seeds in temperatures right around 70
degrees Fahrenheit.
Care
Sesame blossoms
Sesame flowers have a lovely bell shape. Source: rabanito

Sesame or benne plants are easy to care for and require little extra attention
beyond providing the right conditions. As long as your soil, sun, and moisture
content is right, you’re good to go.
Sun and Temperature

Sesame plants like full sun, or six hours of direct sunlight per day. Flowers bloom
in the heat of summer but seeds prefer to start in soils at temperatures of 65 to
75 degrees. Sesame plants enjoy zones 10 and above. Sesame appreciates high heat
once plants are established, but does best in temperatures of 77 to 80 degrees.
Higher heat causes quicker fruiting. Sesame is a hot weather plant. Once plants
experience temperatures under 58 degrees, damage occurs and crop production
decreases. Intense cold easily kills a plant. Snap freezes in spring require frost
cloth.
Water and Humidity

Sesame, Sesamum indicum needs little moisture as a drought-tolerant plant. Just a

few hours of standing water can kill a sesame plant. Annually, wild sesame plants
only get about 16 to 18 inches of rain. Water the soil well before planting sesame.
Too much watering can cause the seed capsules to shatter.

When you water throughout the growing season, provide a spritz of water on the soil
surface in the morning. Containers will make soil dry out more quickly, so provide
just a little more water for sesame plants in pots. For this kind of crop, a gentle
and brief watering with a soaker hose works just fine. Anytime the season is wet
and rainy, do not water sesame plants. Too much moisture prevents growth. If you’re
not sure what kind of spring season you’ll have, try planting in a container and
moving inside when moisture increases.
Soil

Sesame or benne appreciates well-drained, fertile soils. Avoid planting in heavy

clay soils with high salinity content, as this will lower or halt crop production.
The optimal pH for sesame plant soil is 5.6 to 8; neutral soils are best for this
plant.
Fertilizing

Sesame enjoys high nitrogen foliar feeds throughout the growing season. Apply more
nitrogen fertilizer in regions that have more rainfall. Only apply fertilizers
before flower and fruit production begins. One way to ensure success with Sesamum
indicum is to prepare the soil with fertilizers before planting. Add potash and
phosphorus where soils receive less annual rainfall. For home gardeners, a high
amount of organic material in the soil may lessen fertilizer needs.
Pruning

Sesame, Sesamum indicum plants don’t need maintenance pruning. If they look long or
have developed a disease due to excess moisture, prune leaves as needed. Leave
enough foliage to allow plants to photosynthesize. Simply snap off leaves as needed
while allowing bell-shaped flowers to remain.
Propagation

Planting sesame seeds is the only way to propagate benne plants. Plant seeds from a
recent harvest, or try planting seeds from the grocery store. Although it’s
possible to direct sow seeds, start them indoors as described in the planting
section. Use a soilless medium, and provide moisture until seeds germinate, then
taper off.
Harvesting and Storing
Sesame pods
Sesame will turn brown just before harvest. Source: tocaptureitonce

Harvesting your benne crops is easy, especially when the light and water content
are right. Let’s cover how to collect those seeds and keep them in your kitchen
year-round.
Harvesting

Remove seed pods from the stem when they are green, and then place them in a jar
upright for cracking open. When you see the benne pods browning and breaking open
slightly, this is a surefire sign those seeds need to be harvested. Harvest from
lower on the plant while your benne plants still flower near the top. This gives
you multiple harvests.

Remove seed pods from the stem by snapping them off with your hands or clipping
them with garden shears. Do this right at the point where the pod connects to the
plant’s central stalk, where the flower was. Place them on newspaper, parchment, or
some other dry area. Here they’ll be dried to prevent spoiling. To winnow out the
seed from chaff, break open pods when they are dried, and remove the seeds
carefully. Leaves can be harvested directly from the benne and used right away.
Storing

Unlike some seeds, sesame contains a lot of oil which can spoilage. To prevent the
spoiling of your crop let the seed pods dry on a dry surface (on newspaper or
parchment paper) until they crack. Then move seeds into a storage container. Use a
mason jar or airtight container to store your seeds. A plastic bag may work.
Whatever container you use, make sure it can provide adequate room to store the
number of seeds you’ve harvested. If you use the seeds right away, put them in a
dark dry cabinet. For longer storage, place them in the freezer. Dried seeds keep
for six to twelve months, and roasted seeds store up to one year in a cupboard.

For cooking the leaves, use them right away. If you must store them, place them in
a plastic bag between parchment. Benne leaves don’t keep long, so eat them as soon
as you can.
Troubleshooting
Sesame flower
Close-up view of a sesame flower. Source: tonrulkens

Most benne diseases are related to improper growing conditions. There are insects
who enjoy snacking on seeds, leaves, and flowers too. Let’s cover a few issues you
could encounter when growing sesame seeds.
Growing Problems

Too much water will kill a sesame plant. This can mean just a few hours of standing
water. To prevent wet feet, mound your plant so water will run down the sides
rather than sit at the base where roots rot and die off. Proper soil content will
prevent excess moisture.

Too much heat causes premature production, but the biggest concern is too little
heat. Transplant seedlings at the right time, two months after the last frost.
Growth stunts on sesame at 60 degrees. Anything below that can kill your plant.
Pests

Small members of the Aphidoidea family called aphids suck sap from the leaves of
sesame plants. To rid your sesame of aphids, use neem oil. Reapply neem as needed,
no more than every seven days.

The sesame leafhopper or Orosius albicinctus is another sapsucker related to

aphids. A sign of leafhopper infestation is curling, browning, or reddening leaves.
Neem oil is also a good treatment for sesame leafhoppers. A capsaicin spray will
also keep them away.

Thrips leave silver scars on leaves in cracks and folds of plant material as they
feed. Use minute pirate bugs, lacewings, or ladybugs, their natural predators, to
control thrips. If this doesn’t work, try foliar applications of pyrethrins weekly.
Neem oil also works here.

Cutworms and leaf rollers are larval insects that feast on plants. They grow into
moths that carry on the cycle of feeding, mating, and reproduction. Try hand-
picking the larvae off your plant into a small container of soapy water. If you
must spray your plants because the infestation is high in number, try Bacillus
thuringiensis sprays. Neem oil prevents eggs from hatching.
Diseases

Aster yellows, sometimes called sesame phyllody, is a disease caused by

phytoplasma. It can be transmitted by leafhoppers. Aster yellows can cause flower
deformation, chlorosis in the leaves, stunted growth, and more. It is most common
in areas with cool, damp summers, as both the phytoplasma and the leafhoppers don’t
survive heat well. There is no cure for aster yellows, and infected plants should
be destroyed. Prevent the spread of this disease by using pesticides to prevent
leafhoppers. Later planting during hotter weather may also help to avoid disease
transmission.

Alternaria leaf spot can create dark rings on leaves. A liquid copper fungicide is
effective at preventing further spread. Remove damaged material, then spray the
remaining plant with the fungicide. Avoid top watering to reduce the likelihood of
leaf spotting.

Phytophthora blight also creates dark spots on leaves. For this pathogen,
prevention is the best cure. Avoid excess moisture on foliage. If in a humid area,
consider inoculating the soil with MycoStop or other bacillus strains to boost the
plant’s ability to fight off the pathogen. Remove infected material and spray the
remaining plant with a copper fungicide to reduce spread.

Damping-off also affects sesame seedlings. With damping-off seedlings fall over.
Stems are brown, mushy, and unable to support nutrient transfer from leaf to root.
Hot and wet conditions increase the likelihood of fungal infection. Many studies
examine ways to control damping-off, but outside of applying mycorrhizae to the
soil to prevent fungal infection, there is no viable treatment. Remove the damaged
plants and do not plant susceptible species in that soil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Green sesame pods
When first formed, sesame pods are green in color. Source: shikigami2011

Q: Can you eat a sesame plant?

A: Yes, sesame leaf and seed can be eaten. However, leaves should be consumed
within a few hours or they won’t have the same integrity. Seeds last much longer.
Flowers are usually not eaten.

Q: Can you eat raw sesame seeds?

A: Yes, sesame seeds can be eaten raw. If you toast them, though, they’ll have a
much more robust flavor.
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Quick Care Guide

All About Sesame
Planting Sesame Plant
Care
Sun and Temperature
Water and Humidity
Soil
Fertilizing
Pruning
Propagation
Harvesting and Storing
Harvesting
Storing
Troubleshooting
Growing Problems
Pests
Diseases
Frequently Asked Questions

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