Evaluation and selection of sesame mutants (<i>Sesamum indicum</i> L.) for optimal nutritional profiles in seeds under field drought conditions

Abstract

Sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.) is a crucial oilseed crop, valued for its nutritional qualities and resilience to environmental stress. However, as drought and global temperatures increase, sesame cultivation is increasingly threatened. While sesame seeds are widely consumed in African and Asian countries, a few studies explore the drought impact on seed nutritional composition, focusing instead on sesame oil. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the nutritional profiles of seeds from 11 M 4 mutants and their wild-type parents, cultivated under field water deficit conditions (50 % of control irrigation) at two distinct locations, Taoujdate and Afourare, in Morocco, in 2021. Targeted traits include seed moisture, ash content, oil content, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, total amino acids, and antioxidant activity. Data analysis revealed that specific mutants responded favorably to water deficit, with increased levels of polyphenols, anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, oil content, and moisture. Notably, mutant ML2-68 showed high ash content (9.53 %) and stability, ideal for diverse environments. ML2-72 maintained high oil content (49.05 %), total amino acids (14.46 mg GlyE/g), anthocyanins (4.51 mg/g), and moisture (5.08 %), while US2-6 excelled in phenolic compound (25.13 mg/g) accumulation and free radical scavenging (96.09 %), suggesting health benefits. These results position genotypes ML2-68, ML2-72, US2-7, and US2-6 as promising for enhancing sesame crop nutrition and stability in challenging environments, supporting efforts to develop drought-resilient varieties.