Australian Sesame Industry Production Research Program

The Australian sesame industry is poised for a major expansion, driven by support from AgriFutures Australia and a collaborating group of research organisations, industry participants and seed suppliers. Production of sesame crops in Australia will target import replacement, estimated at over $13m annually, as well as future opportunities for export of processed seeds and value-added products. To achieve this growth the Australian Sesame Industry Production Research Program will deliver research addressing the major agronomic and crop-protection issues, as well as demonstrate competitive and sustainable production practices. The project incorporates six core research areas: (1) a crop protection program delivering sustainable management practices for pest, weed and disease control; (2) nutrition and irrigation research to develop optimal input management practices for high yielding crops; (3) farming systems research to develop models for optimising crop management; (4) a southern production regions program investigating strategies for sesame production in cooler climate areas; (5) research on mechanisation to ensure cost-effective harvesting and handling operations; and, (6) post-harvest research to maintain product quality from harvest through to market. Close collaboration with current sesame growers, seed suppliers, input suppliers and supply chain partners will ensure industry-building outcomes are achieved. This large-scale collaborative project approach is a first for Australia in supporting emerging crop development, and will be a template for other emerging industries to follow.