Longevity of seeds of two sesame cultivarsSesame seeds were collected at the usual harvesting time, from the upper, middle. and lower stem parts of the Venezula 51 and Morada cultivars. After drying at 35°C for 12 days, the seeds were packed in common paper bags, and stored in uncontrolled conditions at Campinas, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Germination percentages were determined at every three months interval for a total period of 24 months. The seeds of the two cultivars stored well, with germination percentages higher than 80% after the two years of storage. The cultivars Venezuela 51 produced seeds with germination a little higher than those of the cultivars Morada. On the whole, in the two cultivars, there were no germination differences among seeds collected from the different stem parts.