Morphological Descriptor

Sesame

MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTOR
SESAME (Sesamum indicum L.)

Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department

Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Livestock
Government of Pakistan, Islamabad
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

Testing Genetic Suitability and Adaptability: and

Registration of Crop Varieties is Legal Obligation
under Section 8 of Seed Act, 1976.

Naheed Naz
Seed Certification Officer
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

GENERAL
Variety name ………………………….
Parentage …………………………………………….
Pedigree …………………………………………….
Breeder (s) …………………………………………….
Breeding center/institute …………………………………………….
Variety maintainer ……………………………………………..
Comparable variety (s) …………………………..
Origin  Local  Exotic
Breeding method  Selection  Hybridization  Introduction  Any other
Areas of adaptation …………………………..
Type of variety  Open  Hybrid  Inbred
Days to maturity …………… [Range…….]
Maturity duration  Short  Medium  Long
Earlier than …………… (Cultivar)
Later than …………… (Cultivar)

SEEDLING CHARACTERISICS
Cotyledon color  Green  Green with white margin
Cotyledon shape  Flat  Cup shaped  Others
Cotyledon hairiness  Absent  Present
Insertion of cotyledons  Sessile  Pedicellate
Length of cotyledon (mm) ……………
Length of hypocotyl (mm) ……………

PLANT CHARACTERISTICS
Growth type  Indeterminate  Determinate
Growth habit  Erect  Semi erect  Prostrate
Root system  Shallow fibrous  Deep thin root  Tuberous thick taproot

STEM CHARACTERISTICS:
Plant height (cm) ……………
Stem color  Green  Yellow  Purplish green  Purple  Anyother
Stem hairiness  Absent  Sparse  Medium  Profuse
Shape of hair  Short and straight  Medium and straight  Long and bent
Stem shape in cross section  Round  Square
Stem branching  Opposite  Alternate  Ternate  Mixed
Branching pattern  Basal  Top  Any other
Internode length (cm) ……………
No. of primary branches ……………
No. of secondary branches ……………

LEAF CHARACTERISTICS:
Leaf color  Green  Green with yellowish cast  Green with blue-gray cast
 Green with purple cast  Any other
Leaf shape  Linear  Lanceolate  Elliptic  Ovate Cordate
Leaf arrangement  Opposite  Alternate  Ternate  Mixed
Leaf hairiness  Absent  Sparse  Medium  Profuse
Shape of hair  Short and straight  Medium and straight  Long and bent
Basal leaf profile  Flat  Concave  Convex
Basal leaf margin  Entire  Serrate  Dentate
Lobe incision of basal leaf  Absent  Weak  Medium  Strong
Length of basal leaf (cm) …………....
Width of basal leaf (cm) …………....
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

Length of middle leaf (cm) …………....

Width of middle leaf (cm) …………....
Length of top leaf (cm) …………....
Width of top leaf (cm) …………....
Leaf glands  Absent  Present
Leaf angle to main stem  Semi erect  Horizontal  Drooping
Petiole length of basal leaf …………....
(cm)
Petiole length of middle …………....
leaf (cm)
Petiole length of top leaf …………....
(cm)
Petiole hairiness  Absent  Weak  Medium  Strong
Shape of petiole hair  Short and straight  Medium and straight  Long and bent

INFLORESCENCE CHARACTERISTICS:
Days to flowering ……………
Days to 50% flowering ……………
No. of flowers/leaf axil ……………
Extra floral nectary  Rudimentary  Small  Medium  Large
development
Extra-floral nectar color  Light yellow  Yellow  Purple
No. of nodes to first flower ……………
Outer corolla color  White  White with pink tinge  White with deep pink tinge  Pink
 Light violet  Dark violet  Purple  Red  Maroon
Inner corolla color  White  White with pink tinge  White with deep pink tinge  Pink
 Light violet  Dark violet  Purple  Red  Light maroon
Corolla length (mm) ……………
Calyx tip color  Green  Purple  Any other (………….)
Length of calyx tube (mm) ……………
Calyx hairiness  Absent  Sparse  Medium  Profuse
Shape of calyx hair  Short and straight  Medium and straight  Long and bent
Corolla hairiness  Absent  Sparse  Medium  Profuse
Shape of corolla hair  Short and straight  Medium and straight  Long and bent
Lower lip color  Colorless  Colored
Absence/presence of V/W  Absent  Present
shaped depression in the
interior middle of corolla
below the lower lip
Anther filament color  White  White with violet dots
Anther connective tip gland  Absent  Present
Style length  Short  Medium  Long

CAPSULE CHARACTERISTICS
No. of capsules/plant …………….
No. of locules/capsule …………….
No. of carpels/capsule  Bicarpellate  Tetracarpellate
Bicarpellate capsule shape  Tapered at apex  Narrow oblong  Broad oblong  Square
Capsule arrangement  Monocapsular  Multicapsular
Capsule hairiness  Absent  Sparse  Medium  Profuse
Shape of capsule hair  Short and straight  Medium and straight  Long and bent
Capsule length/width/ ………../………./………
thickness (mm)
Capsule anthocyanin  Absent  Present
Dry capsule color  Green  Straw/yellow  Brown/tan  Purple
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

Capsule dehiscence at  Non shattering  Partially shattering  Completely shattering

ripening
Capsule beak type  Short  Long  Curved  Cleft

SEED CHARACTERISTICS
Seed shape  Oval with convex side  Oval with concave side  Elongated
No. of seed/capsule ……………
Seed coat color  White  Cream  Beige  Light brown  Medium brown  Dark brown
 Brick red  Tan  Olive  Grey  Dull black  Bright black
Seed coat texture  Smooth  Partially rough  Radially rough  Partially radially rough
 Reticulately rough  Partially reticulately rough
000, seed weight (g) ……………

ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTABILITY (Evaluation done under define conditions)

Flowering Response to seasons  Stable  Variable  Highly variable

Drought tolerance  Least tolerant  Medium  Most tolerant

(Measured as reduction in yield).

Tolerance to salinity  Least tolerant  Medium  Most tolerant

(Measured by reduction in plant
height 30 days after sowing).

Tolerance to acid soils  Least tolerant  Medium  Most tolerant

(Measured as reduction in plant
height 30 days after sowing).
Cold tolerance  Least tolerant  Medium  Most tolerant
(Measured as reduction in general
vigour and productivity after
being continuously exposed to an
average temperature of 15 °C for
at least 15 days).

Heat tolerance  Least tolerant  Medium  Most tolerant

(Measured as yield reduction
when continuously exposed to
average of 40 °C during the
flowering period).

RESISTANCE TO INSECTS/PESTS
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RESISTANCE TO DISEASES
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Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
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RECOMMENDED/APPROVED BY

Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC)  Yes  No

Experts Sub Committee  Yes  No
Provincial Seed Council  Yes  No

COMMENTS OF SPOT EXAMINATION

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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AT SEEDLING STAGE
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

PLANT GROWTH TYPE

Indeterminate Determinate

PLANT GROWTH HABIT

Erect Semi erect

Prostrate
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

ROOT SYSTEM

Shallow fibrous Deep thin tap root

Tuberous thick tap root

STEM HAIRINESS

Absent Weak Medium Profuse

SHAPE OF HAIR

Short and straight Medium and straight Long and bent

Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

STEM SHAPE IN CROSS SECTION

Round Square

STEM BRANCHING

Opposite Alternate Ternate Mixed

LEAF SHAPE

Linear Lanceolate Elliptic

Ovate Cordate
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

LEAF HAIRINESS

Absent Sparse

Medium Profuse

LEAF ARRANGEMENT

Opposite Alternate

Ternate Mixed
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

BASAL LEAF PROFILE

Flat Concave Convex

BASAL LEAF MARGIN

Entire Serrate Dentate

LOBE INCISION OF BASAL LEAF

Absent Weak Medium

Strong
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

LEAF ANGLE TO MAIN STEM

Semi erect Horizontal Drooping

EXTRA FLORAL NECTARY DEVELOPMENT

Rudimentary Small

Medium Large
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

PLANT WITH FLOWERS

CLOSEUP OF FLOWER
Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

PRESENCE/ABSENCE OF V OR W SHAPE DEPRESSION IN

ANTERIOR MIDDLE OF COROLLA

Absent Present

PLANT WITH IMMATURE CAPSULE

CAPSULE SHAPE

Tapered at apex Narrow oblong Broad oblong Square

Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

CAPSULE ARRANGEMENT

Solitary Group

PLANT WITH MATURE CAPSULE

Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

SEED COLOR

White

Cream

Beige

SEED SHAPE

Oval with convex side Oval with concave side Elongated

Morphological Descriptor
Sesame

SEED COAT TEXTURE

Smooth Partially rough Radially rough

Partially radially rough Reticulately rough Partially reticulately rough