Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is the most conventional oilseed crop cultivated for its edible oil in the sub-continent. Sesame is known as the king of oil seeds due to the high oil content (50% - 60%) of its seed [1]. Sesame
oil is used as foods (cooking and salad), medicine and soap manufacturing etc. Its seeds and young leaves are
eaten as stews and soaps in Asia [2]. Til oil-cake is good feed for poultry, goat, sheep, fish and cattle [3].
Sesame crop is considered as a drought tolerant crop [4]. It was found in Africa and a small number in the
Indo-Pakistan regions. According to archeological evidence, it was cultivated at Harappa in the Indus Valley
between 2250 and 1750 BC, and a more recent charred sesame seeds had been found in MiriQalat and ShahiTump in the Makran region of Pakistan [5].
Pakistan is facing acute shortage of edible oil. Demand of edible oil in Pakistan is increasing with increase in
population but production of edible oil is decreasing every year. The local production estimated at 0.680 million
tons, meets only 24% of domestic requirement of edible oil while the remaining 76% is met through imports.
Total availability from all sources is provisionally estimated at 1.749 million tons. Higher production of sesame
may contribute towards edible oil and to meet country’s requirement which may help in reducing the import [6].
The area under sesame cultivation in Sindh, Punjab, KPK and