Small seed, big future: Sesame for Northern Australia
Could sesame become northern Australia's next crop success story?
At Katherine Research Station (KRS), Plant Industries Technical Officer Stephy Zach is collecting data from black sesame plants for the Great Northern Spices project.
The research is assessing whether sesame, kalonji and fennel could become viable crops in the Northern Territory and across northern Australia.
Researchers are currently trialling black and white non-shattering sesame varieties in both summer rainfed and winter-irrigated conditions to assess their performance in the northern climate. Earlier research at KRS focused on shattering varieties.
Traditional sesame pods can open too early and scatter much of their seed.
In contrast, non-shattering varieties remain closed at maturity, allowing the crop to be harvested mechanically rather than by hand.
The project is funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia, delivered in partnership with Central Queensland University and builds on the earlier 'Spicing up the North' project.
Who knows – the next big thing in northern agriculture might just be growing right here in Katherine!
Find out more about the Great Northern Spices project.
Stripping the pods for seed recovery and processing.
Unopened pod and opened pod with exposed black sesame seeds.
