Current Research Trends and Prospects for Yield and Quality Improvement in Sesame, an Important Oilseed Crop

Abstract

Climate change is shifting agricultural production, which could impact the economic and cultural contexts of the oilseed industry, including sesame. Environmental threats (biotic and abiotic stresses) affect sesame production and thus yield (especially oil content). However, few studies have investigated the genetic enhancement, quality improvement, or the underlying mechanisms of stress tolerance in sesame. This study reveals the challenges faced by farmers/researchers growing sesame crops and the potential genetic and genomic resources for addressing the threats, including: (1) developing sesame varieties that tolerate phyllody, root rot disease, and waterlogging; (2) investigating beneficial agro-morphological traits, such as determinate growth, prostrate habit, and delayed response to seed shattering; (3) using wild relatives of sesame for wide hybridization; and (4) advancing existing strategies to maintain sesame production under changing climatic conditions. Future research programs need to add technologies and develop the best research strategies for economic and sustainable development.

Keywords: Sesamum indicum; abiotic stresses; biotic stresses; core collection; genome assembly; germplasm; interspecific hybrids; phyllody.

FIGURE 1

Sesame germplasm exotic collections (ECs) in India from different countries.

FIGURE 2

Comprehension of sesame genomics for global food security. CGS, Chloroplast genome sequencing; WGS, Whole-genome sequencing; CWRs, Crop wild relatives; Ca²⁺, Calcium ion; CaM, Calmoldulin; ROS, Reactive oxygen species; CDPKs, Calcium-dependent protein kinases; CIPKs, CBL-interacting protein kinases PPs; MAP kinases, Mitogen activated protein kinases; PKs, Protein kinases; PPs, Protein phosphatases; ARF, Auxin response factors; MYB, Myeloblastoma; DREB, Dehydration responsive elemental binding; bZIP-Basic leucine zipper domain; NAC, NAM [No apical meristem, ATAF, CUC (Cup-shaped cotyledon)]; bHLH, Basic helix loop helix; Hsfs, Heat stress specific transcription factors; MADS-M, minichromosome maintenance factor 1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae; A for Agamous (AG) from Arabidopsis thaliana (from now on, Arabidopsis); D for deficient from Antirrhinum majus; and S for serum response factor (SRF); APX, Ascorbate peroxidase; GPX, Glutathione peroxidase; SOD, Super oxide dismutase; LEA, Late embryogenesis abundant protein; MDHAR, Monodehydro ascorbate reductase; GOL, Galactinol synthase; CAT, Catalase; GRX, Glutathione reductase; GST, Glutathione-S-transferase; SAMe, S’adenosyl-l-methionine; PP2C, Protein phosphatase 2C; HSPs, Heat shock proteins; FAD, Fatty acid desaturase; PIF4, Phytochrome-interacting transcription factor 4.

FIGURE 3

Variability in sesame germplasm for agro-morphological traits. (A) Internode stem length, (B) branching pattern, (C) leaf shape, (D) locules per sesame capsule, (E) capsule length, and (F) seed coat color.