It has been found that Sesamum orientate L., which is grown widely in India as an oil-seed crop, is very susceptible to Antigastra catalaunalis Dup. (Pyralidae) caterpillar attack, and also to phyllody or ‘Green flower disease’, believed to be caused by a virus. There also occurs in India a wild species of Sesamum prostrate in habit which, according to Ramanujam1,2, is resistant to both Antigastra and virus attack. In order to evolve pest- and disease-resistant strains of cultivated Sesamum, crosses were attempted between S. orientale (I.P.6) and S. prostratum, which resulted in the synthesis of a hybrid species S. indicatum. This synthetic species was reported to be intermediate in respect of parental characters, but showed, according to the author, greater resistance to the pest and to phyllody than the cultivated species.