Summer spice technical report - Black sesame - Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia

Summary

This technical report details the top-performing black sesame varieties in a range of Northern Australian conditions.

Research lead CQUniversity assessed the performance of a series of black sesame varieties from AgriVentis Technologies at six different locations across Northern Australia, with yields ranging from 1.37 tonnes per hectare up to 3.04t/ha depending on variety and location.

The highest seed yield recorded in Biloela followed by Rockhampton, Katherine, Ayr, and Darwin. The lowest yield was recorded in Tully.

Spicing up Northern Australia with high-value condiment crops

This project will undertake field trials to test the suitability of these spices to real-world operating systems and develop agronomic advice to support grower adoption. Through the direct involvement of farmers, advisers and commercial seed companies, this project will build the supply chain links needed to establish a new and viable industry for the North. Researchers will assess the market and supply chain opportunities available and the environmental and agronomic systems required for producers in northern Australia to adopt five high-value spice crops (cumin, caraway, black sesame, kalonji and fennel) to form the basis of a new industry to meet Australian demand and become an export opportunity. Data gathered in glasshouse trials by CQUniversity and AgriVentis Technologies has delivered the proof of suitability of these five-spice crops to advance research to field trial stage. Data gathered from this project’s field trials in the six different agro-ecological zones will allow for detailed assessments to be made of the suitability of these crops for wide-scale commercial production in northern Australia.