SIMSIM POST HARVEST

Sesame matures between 3-4 months. There are two problem associated with harvesting sesame:-

a)      That capsules mature differently from the bottom of the plant upwards so that the capsules at the base of plant mature before those of the tip

b)      After maturity the capsule split open to release the seed, and if harvesting is delayed a lot of seed is lost.

For these two reasons harvesting at the optimum maturity is essential. In most cultivars maturity is associated with

        i.            Leaf senescence[leafs becomes old] and rapid shading

      ii.            The stem and branches  turns from

- green to yellowish-brown (for green-stemmed cultivars]

- purple to dark purple to almost black (for purple stemmed cultivars]

    iii.            The leaves have turned yellow

Sesame is generally harvested by hand, and then left to dry for the first 2-3 days after cutting in a windrow. The leaves dry out quickly there, making it easier to bundle them into sheaves. The sheaves should be positioned so that the sun can shine down directly onto the capsules. The sheaves should be small (diameter of 15 cm, bottom: 45-80 cm). During harvesting, the planting seeds should not be allowed to come into contact with the ground to avoid an infestation of soil borne diseases. The seed shells must remain intact to protect the seeds from infection, and to maintain their ability to germinate.
When the sheaves have dried out fully, they are tipped out onto sturdy cloths or canvases and threshed with sticks. To achieve maximum quality (and market price) the threshing cloths/canvases should be at least 2mx3m to avoid contamination with soil particles. Directly following the threshing, the sesame seeds are sieved of leaves, stems and capsule residues, and then dried out to a moisture content of 6% as rapidly as possible. This can be done on a clean, sun-drenched concrete base preferably covered by a clean plastic sheet to avoid contamination.

Yields

With good management, Improved varieties have potential seed yield should be at least 1,000 kg/ha and a seed oil content of about 58% on moisture-free basis.

STORAGE:  

Sesame intended for seed should be cleaned thoroughly to remove debris and poorly filled seeds, and treated with dual seed dressing insecticide/fungicide.