Sesame may offer southern Plains farmers a heat and drought tolerant crop option that works well in rotation with winter wheat, reports Southwest Farm Press.
Sesame is a minimal input crop, if planted correctly. Getting a good stand is critical as emergence can sometimes be a problem with small seeds. Troublesome weeds can shade out sesame plants before they are established. Insects are typically not an issue, although grasshoppers caused significant damage last year during the drought conditions. Sesame is not favored by either feral hogs or deer.
Guar, like sesame, is heat and drought tolerant and has minimal production costs. It is not considered a crop of choice to satisfy a heavy debt load. Guar, or cluster bean, is not a good option for a humid environment or weedy ground. It can be a good rotation crop for cotton as a soil builder.
Crop specialists say the long-term drought that has damaged crop and livestock production in the Red River Basin for the last four years may have encouraged farmers to look at alternate crops, such as guar and sesame.