Preprint Review Version 1 This version is not peer-reviewed

Sesame an Underutilized Oil Seed Crop: Breeding Achievements and Future Challenges

Version 1 : Received: 31 July 2024 / Approved: 31 July 2024 / Online: 31 July 2024 (15:14:10 CEST)

How to cite: Rauf, S.; Basharat, T.; Gebeyehu, A.; Elsafy, M.; Rahmatov, M.; Ortiz, R.; Kaya, Y. Sesame an Underutilized Oil Seed Crop: Breeding Achievements and Future Challenges. Preprints 2024, 2024072603. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2603.v1 Rauf, S.; Basharat, T.; Gebeyehu, A.; Elsafy, M.; Rahmatov, M.; Ortiz, R.; Kaya, Y. Sesame an Underutilized Oil Seed Crop: Breeding Achievements and Future Challenges. Preprints 2024, 2024072603. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2603.v1

Abstract

Sesame seeds and their edible oil are highly nutritious and rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Bioactive compounds such as sterols, tocopherols, and sesamol provide significant medicinal benefits. The high oil content (50%) and favorable mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids balance, as well as sesame's resilience to water stress makes, make it a promising candidate for global agricultural expansion. However, sesame production faces challenges such as low yields, poor response to agricultural inputs, and losses due to capsule dehiscence. To enhance yield, traits like determinate growth, dwarfism, high harvest index, non-shattering capsules, and photoperiod sensitivity are needed. These traits can be achieved through variation or induced mutation breeding. Traditional breeding methods often result in unwanted genetic changes. The CRISPR/Cas9 technology has the potential to suppress detrimental alleles and improve the fatty acid profile by inhibiting polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. Even though sesame is an orphan crop, it has entered the genomic era, with available sequences assisting molecular breeding efforts. This progress aids in associating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) with key economic traits, as well as identifying genes related to adaptability, oil production, fatty acid synthesis, and photosynthesis. Additionally, transcriptomic studies can reveal genes involved in abiotic stress responses and adaptation to diverse climates. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping can identify loci linked to crucial traits such as capsule size, seed count per capsule, and capsule number per plant. This paper reviews recent advances in sesame breeding, discusses ongoing challenges, and explores potential strategies for future improvement. Hence, integrating advanced genomic tools and breeding strategies provides promising ways to enhance sesame production to meet global demands.

Keywords

Abiotic stress; Capsules; CRISPR/Cas9; Genomics, SNPs; Yield

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.