Sugars in Whole Sesame Seed: Effects of Cultivars, Planting Dates and Row Spacings

Mean contents of fructose, glucose, raffinose, stachyose, sucrose, and total sugars in whole sesame seed, produced during 2011 and 2012 in mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America, were 0.95, 1.28, 2.22, 0.14, 0.82, and 5.39 g/100g meal, respectively. Planting time effects were significant for contents of fructose, glucose, raffinose, stachyose, sucrose, and total sugars. Contents of sucrose and total sugars were highest during both plantings in 2011 as compared to those for both planting dates in 2012. However, differences between two planting dates for total sugar contents during each year were not significant while earlier plantings in both years had significantly higher contents of sucrose. Raffinose content was significantly greater from late planting during 2011 over early planting whereas planting date effects during 2012 were not different. Stachyose content was significantly greater from early planting in 2012 over late planting whereas planting date effects during 2011 were not significant. An increase in row spacing from 37.5cm to 75cm increased the content of fructose by 24.7% but resulted in 8.1% decrease in content of glucose. Cultivar effects were significant only for sucrose. S26 and S32 cultivars had significantly higher content over that of 22K (0.89, 0.89, and 0.69g/100g meal, respectively). These results indicate that sugar contents in sesame whole seed could be manipulated by using specific growing conditions and cultivars and could be helpful in determination of sugar intake via consumption of whole seeds.