Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses uncover stage-specific dynamic regulatory networks during sesame floral development.

Sesame is an important oilseed crop, and floral development is a key biological process that lays the foundation for pollination, fertilization, and seed formation, which are closely associated with final yield potential. However, the dynamic transcriptional and metabolic regulatory mechanisms during floral development remain unclear. Here, we performed an integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis across five key developmental stages (T1-T5) of sesame flowers to systematically dissect the multi‑omics regulatory network. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed distinct stage‑specific metabolic characteristics: early stages (T1-T2) were enriched in primary energy metabolism (glycolysis and starch/sucrose metabolism); the middle stage (T3) showed enrichment in DNA replication and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis; and late stages (T4-T5) were associated with plant hormone signaling and α‑linolenic acid metabolism. WGCNA identified two modules correlated with development: a positive module involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and a negative module related to DNA replication and repair. Genes in the phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathway displayed a clear sequential expression pattern, promoting flavonoid and anthocyanin accumulation. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive multi‑omics resource and a descriptive framework for understanding transcriptional and metabolic dynamics during sesame floral development, and identifies candidate pathways and genes that may serve as targets for future functional validation and molecular breeding.