Collection status, diversity distribution and medicinal usesof sesame(Sesamum indicum L.) in India

This paper deals with the diversity distribution, germplasm collection status and medicinal uses of Sesamum indicum in India. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) in collaboration with crop-based institutes and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) has collected a total of 4, 801 accessions through cropspecif ic/multi-crop explorations from different diversity rich areas of the country during 1976–2014. Out of the total collected germplasm, 2, 738 accessions were short-listed with details on locality information of collection sites which were further examined in order to understand the diversity distribution pattern. Analysis of collection status showed that representation of maximum accessions were from four regions viz. I. Western part of Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand), II. Eastern part of arid region, western part of Central India, III. South-eastern part of central India, north peninsular region and eastern coast (Andhra Pradesh), and IV. Northeast Hill region (NEH) of India. Ethno botanical knowledge on sesame recorded during exploration trip indicated that local communities inhabiting in different phyto-geographical regions of the country use leaves, bark, seed and seed oil as food and medicine. Among the plant part utilized for various purposes, oil (55%) is the most utilized plant product followed by seed (38%), leaves (5%) and stem/bark (2%). Both types (white and black) of sesame seeds are used by traditional medical practitioners for prescribing in various diseases. In addition to medicinal and other uses of S. indicum have also been discussed.