Sesame sowing time and method

Sesame , whose scientific name is linum tora, is an oil crop grown in Northwest China. It is drought-resistant, cold-resistant, has a high oil content and good oil quality. Here are some tips on when and how to sow sesame seeds.

Sesame sowing time

The suitable sowing period for sesame is the first day in spring when the average daily temperature stably exceeds 2℃ and the soil temperature in the topsoil layer of 5-10cm is stable at around 5℃. The sowing period in the Northwest region is generally from late March to early April, and in North China it is from mid-to-late April to early May.

Sesame sowing method

1. Seed soaking with chemicals

Mixing seeds with 70% pentachloronitrobenzene powder at a concentration of 0.3%-0.5% of the seed amount can effectively prevent and control sesame blight and wilt.

2. Fine land preparation

Choose land that has been rotated in autumn for more than five years to plant sesame. Sesame seeds are small and have weak ability to break through the soil, so the land for planting sesame must be carefully prepared. In spring, the land prepared for planting sesame should be tilled and fertilized to a depth of 20 cm. Apply sufficient base fertilizer, 2000-3000 kg of agricultural fertilizer per mu, level the land and harrow it finely to achieve a surface that is hollow on top and solid on the bottom.

3. Reasonable density planting

It depends on the soil moisture and soil texture. The appropriate sowing depth is generally about 3 cm. For land with good soil moisture, it is better to sow shallow rather than deep. For land with poor soil moisture and rough land preparation, the sowing depth can be deeper. But it should not exceed 3.5 cm, the sowing amount per mu is 4.5 kg, the row spacing is 15-20 cm, and 35,000 to 45,000 seedlings are left per mu. Sow and harrow the ground to ensure full seedlings.

4. Cultivation management

It takes about 40 days for sesame to grow from seedling to budding. During this period, the seedlings grow slowly, and the root system grows 6 times faster than the above-ground part. The plant can only grow 0.1-0.2 cm day and night. In early spring, weeds can grow 1-2 cm per day and night, which is 10 times the growth of sesame. If weeds are not weeded early, the seedlings will inevitably grow together and compete for water and fertilizer, causing weed barrenness. Early weeding can increase ground temperature, loosen the soil and retain moisture, and promote the healthy growth of seedlings. When weeding seedlings, the first weeding should be done early and shallowly, and the second weeding should be done deep without damaging the roots. The first weeding should start when the seedlings are 3-6 cm tall. At this time, the seedlings are small. To prevent them from being crushed, weeding should be done shallowly. The second hoeing is 15-18 cm. At this time, sesame buds are about to appear, and it is the period when water and fertilizer are most needed. In order to promote root development and expand the root absorption range, which is conducive to absorbing water and nutrients in the soil, you can hoe deeper without damaging the roots.

5. Water and fertilizer management

About 40 days after sesame seedlings emerge, it enters the budding stage, which is the peak period of vegetative and reproductive growth. It is also a critical period that determines sesame production. Therefore, it is necessary to water in time, apply fertilizer and deep hoe. Sesame fertilizer is generally based on base fertilizer, and you can also apply some nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer appropriately. Combined with watering, 10-15 kg of urea per mu should be applied. Dry land is generally applied with fertilizer before rain to promote more branches, more flowering and more fruiting. This is the most vigorous growth stage of sesame, accounting for about 50%-60% of the absorption during the entire growth period. Therefore, the budding period is the best time to apply fertilizer and water.

That’s it