Weeds
No herbicides are currently labelled for use on sesame, although it is possible that a temporary herbicide use could be allowed under a temporary state registration.
Weed control is usually achieved the old-fashioned way, through pre-plant tillage and using a row crop cultivator once or twice after the crop has become established. Care should be given with pre-plant tillage to maintain soil moisture.
Insects
Sesame has been grown at several locations in Missouri during five field seasons, with no noticeable insect damage to leaves or seed capsules.
In fact, sesame has seemed almost uniquely distasteful to many leaf chewing insects. In other regions, however, sesame has been attacked on occasion by insects. Insects could be a problem for sesame in Missouri is by serving as disease vectors. Aphids or whiteflies could introduce a virus to sesame field plots. Insecticides are available for sesame, but should be applied only after scouting. In most instances, there is probably not an economic benefit from spraying.
Diseases
Diseases have been reported in sesame grown in other parts of the world, but have not yet been a problem in Missouri. Probably the greatest threat is the soil pathogens that can attack and kill seedlings in cool, wet conditions, creating the damping off symptoms. Using a two or three year crop rotation with sesame can help avoid disease problems that could eventually develop.
Pest and disease control Australia
Sesame grows slowly during the early stages of growth and is not strongly competitive with weeds. Poor weed control early in the life of the crop can result in greatly reduced crop yields.
In the NT, zero-tillage techniques are recommended to assist establishment. Zero tillage involves sowing the crop into mulch which reduces weed growth and has other benefits. These include reducing soil temperatures and soil surface evaporation, and protecting the soil from erosion. No post emergence herbicides for grass control can be used.
In NSW, where row spacing is wide, inter-row cultivation and spot spraying with glyphosate is possible. The pre-emergent herbicides trifluralin, metolachlor, and pendimethalin can be used for control of grassy weeds.Sesame is extremely sensitive to low concentrations of the residual herbicides in the sulfonylurea family which are widely used in wheat and barley. These include Glean®, Logran® and various products containing metsulfuron such as Ally®. Growers should observe the plant-back periods listed on the label. The control of broadleaf weeds poses a major problem at the present time as no effective post-emergent herbicides have been identified.
While a wide range of insect pests attacks sesame around the world only the sesame leaf Webber (Antigastra catalaunalis), Heliothis caterpillars, Helicoverpa punctigera and H. armigera and green vegetable bug (Nezara viridula) have caused serious problems in Australia. To date, sesame leaf Webber has not been recorded in NSW. Mirids can also infest sesame crops. The yellow mirid is a beneficial and should not be sprayed, while the green mirid may require control. Heliothis caterpillars are highly mobile and can rapidly damage sesame capsules. Control is made difficult by the high levels of pesticide resistance found in Heliothis. Regular monitoring and the application of integrated pest management strategies are essential to minimise their impact.
Similar pest management strategies to those used for cotton are recommended. The threshold level for spraying is one small to medium sized caterpillar per 10 plants.To date two applications of insecticide have provided satisfactory control.
Sesame is prone to root and stem diseases associated with waterlogging, while damping-off diseases can also occur if humidity is high.
Seven diseases affecting sesame have been identified but only two of them, Corynespora cassilcola (target spot) and Pseudocercospora sesame (large cercospora leaf spot), can severely affect grain yields.
Large cercospora leaf spot causes large, irregularly shaped, dull brown spots on the foliage. The spots often coalesce, killing portions or entire leaves on susceptible cultivars during humid conditions.
Target spot first appears as dark (often purplish) spots on leaves, stems and pods. As spots enlarge they develop lighter coloured centres.
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