TMV 7
From TNAU Coimbatore, released in 2009 — a brown, high-oil sesame that fits all eight of Tamil Nadu's cropping-season windows.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Sesame (Til)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 80–90 days
- Expected yield
- 7.4–9.2 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Moderate leaf curl and phyllody tolerance
- Release
- Released 2009 by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
TMV (Sv) 7 was released in 2009 by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, as a derivative of the cross SI 250 × ES 22. Its brown, four-chambered capsule seed carries around 50–51% oil, and the plant is erect, indeterminate and profusely branched. In multi-location trials it out-yielded the checks TMV 3, TMV 4, TMV 6 and VRI (Sv) 1/2 by 12.8–26.9% under rainfed conditions and 20.5–34.3% under irrigated or summer conditions. Reported yields were 737–850 kg/ha rainfed and 781–920 kg/ha irrigated, on TNAU's own extension page and in an Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding release paper. The name "cosmopolitan" in the plant-breeding literature means wide adaptability across all eight of TNAU's traditional cropping-season windows.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose TMV 7 if you farm in Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh and want one variety you can sow in any of the state's cropping seasons. It takes 80–90 days, has 50–51% oil and is tolerant to root rot. In trials it gave 737–850 kg/ha rainfed and 781–920 kg/ha irrigated, ahead of TMV 3, TMV 4, TMV 6 and VRI (Sv) 1/2. Choose Swetha instead only if your buyer wants white seed, or GT 10 if you farm Gujarat and want black seed with Phytophthora blight resistance.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeIn Tamil Nadu: kharif from the second fortnight of May to the second fortnight of June, rabi in November–December, and summer from the second fortnight of January to March (AICRP sesame package)
- Spacing30 x 30 cm in all three seasons
- FertilizerIrrigated 35:23:23 kg NPK per ha, all as a basal dose, and rainfed 23:13:13. The package also suggests treating the seed with 600 g Azospirillum
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- 50–51% oil content, at the high end for a sesame variety
- Outyielded four established TNAU check varieties (TMV 3, TMV 4, TMV 6, VRI (Sv) 1/2) by double-digit percentages in both rainfed and irrigated trials
- One of the shortest-duration sesame releases in wide south Indian use (80–90 days), letting it fit into all eight of Tamil Nadu's cropping-season windows
Things to consider
- TNAU's page and the release paper give 80–90 days in the field. The reported yields are 737–850 kg/ha rainfed and 781–920 kg/ha irrigated, which is 7.4–9.2 q/ha.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Tamil Nadu
- Andhra Pradesh
What irrigation adds, in the trial numbers
TMV 7 gave 737–850 kg/ha rainfed and 781–920 kg/ha irrigated. In plain numbers, irrigation adds about 44 to 70 kg/ha, which is less than one quintal. That is the honest size of the gain in grain.
The lead over the check varieties is bigger with water, though. TMV 7 beat TMV 3, TMV 4, TMV 6 and VRI (Sv) 1/2 by 12.8–26.9% rainfed and by 20.5–34.3% irrigated or in summer. So water helps TMV 7 more than it helps the older varieties.
Decide on the labour. If one irrigation costs you less than 44 to 70 kg of sesame would sell for, give it. If your field has no water, TMV 7 still did well rainfed, and that is why it fits all eight of Tamil Nadu's cropping seasons.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Sesame (Til) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GT 10 | The black-seeded sesame with proven Phytophthora blight resistance, for Gujarat | 92–95 days | 6–8 q/ha | Gujarat |
| RT 351 | The multicapsular Rajasthan sesame: several capsules per leaf axil, notified for the hot, arid zone | 80–85 days | 5–7 q/ha | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh |
| RT-346 | A steady rainfed sesame for Rajasthan, chosen for stability across seasons, not for a published peak yield | 82–88 days | Medium–high | Rajasthan |
| Swetha (TMV-3 type) | A white-seeded sesame for buyers who pay for pale til, with a December sowing pattern from the Tirupati trials | 82–86 days | 750–800 kg/ha (AICRP sesame package) | Andhra Pradesh |
| TC-25 | A white-seeded, early sesame with 50–52% oil, best documented for July sowing in Punjab | 75–82 days; 80–85 for a July sowing in Punjab | Medium | Uttar Pradesh |
| TKG-22 | The long-standing Madhya Pradesh check variety: steady, well understood, with capsules that ripen together | 80–85 days | Medium–high | Madhya Pradesh |
| TMV 7this page | The brown, high-oil sesame that fits every Tamil Nadu season: 80–90 days and tolerant to root rot | 80–90 days | 7.4–9.2 q/ha | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Sesame (Til) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Sesame (Til) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Sesame (Til) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Sesame (Til) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Sesame (Til) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Sesame (Til) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Sesame (Til) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What does "cosmopolitan" mean in TMV (Sv) 7's variety name?
It refers to wide adaptability — the release paper and TNAU's own extension page both describe it fitting all eight of Tamil Nadu's traditional cropping-season windows, not one narrow niche.
How does TMV 7 compare to RT 351 and GT 10 in duration?
TMV 7 takes 80–90 days, compared with RT 351's 80–85 and GT 10's reported 92–95.
What yield should I plan on with TMV 7?
The reported figures are 737–850 kg/ha rainfed and 781–920 kg/ha irrigated, which is 7.4–9.2 q/ha across both. Plan on the lower end for a dry, rainfed crop and the upper end only with water at the right time.
Does TMV 7 do better rainfed or irrigated?
It beat the check varieties in both. The lead was 12.8–26.9% under rainfed conditions and 20.5–34.3% under irrigated or summer conditions, so the lead is larger when water is available. If you can give even one irrigation, TMV 7 is where it pays.
Which diseases is TMV 7 tolerant to?
The release paper confirms tolerance to root rot. The card also shows moderate leaf curl and phyllody tolerance, but the paper does not address those either way, so watch your plot for both.
Can TMV 7 be sown in any of Tamil Nadu's cropping seasons?
TNAU describes it as fitting all eight of the state's cropping-season windows, and it matures in 80–90 days. That is its main practical strength: you can slot sesame into a gap in the rotation. The reported yields of 737–850 kg/ha rainfed and 781–920 kg/ha irrigated still depend on moisture, so check your KVK's sowing window for your district.
Can I save TMV 7 seed for the next season?
Yes. TMV 7 is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from your crop grows true to type. Select seed from healthy plants with no phyllody or leaf curl, dry it well and store it dry. The yield of 7.4–9.2 q/ha is for good seed, so renew with certified seed after a few seasons.
Sourced from: Sesame TMV 7 — Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (AgriTech Portal), TMV (Sv) 7 — A high yielding cosmopolitan sesame variety — Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding, Improved Technology for Maximizing Production of Sesame — AICRP on Sesame and Niger, ICAR (Ranganatha and others, revised 2013): Tables 3, 8 and 9 (sowing time, spacing and fertiliser by state). editorial policy.