Response of Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus jowitt) to sulphur fertilization in the semi arid tropical region in India

Authors

  • Kakaraparthi Pandu Sastry CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Research Centre, Boduppal, Hyderabad- 500092, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Rajput Dharmendra Kuma CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Research Centre, Boduppal, Hyderabad- 500092, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Arigari Niranjan Kumar CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Research Centre, Boduppal, Hyderabad- 500092, Andhra Pradesh, India

Keywords:

Citronella, Citronellal, Essential oil, Geraniol, Sulphur nutrition

Abstract

The essential oil obtained from the herb of Citronella is an industrially important essential oil and a known plant-based insect repellent and bio-pesticide.  Improving the economic yield of the aromatic grass citronella is part of the rural development mandate of the institute CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP)  and this study is a part of the activity. Sulphur (S) is required for realisation of optimum yields from aromatic crops cultivated in semi-arid tropical areas in India. A field experiment involving varying levels of sulphur (0-150 kg/ha) in combination with standard levels of  other nutrients was  conducted on a red sandy loam  soil at the research farm of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Hyderabad, India to identify the optimum level of sulphur required for higher herb and essential oil yield of  citronella. Sulphur application resulted in increased herb and essential oil yield of citronella due to better growth of plants (plant height, number of leaves /plant , number of tillers / clump and weight of plant / clump) and the  optimum dose of sulphur required is 75 kg/ha.

Published

2013-06-29

How to Cite

Pandu Sastry, K. ., Dharmendra Kuma, R. ., & Niranjan Kumar, A. . (2013). Response of Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus jowitt) to sulphur fertilization in the semi arid tropical region in India. Scientific Journal of Crop Science, 2(6), 67-74. Retrieved from http://sjournals.com/index.php/sjcs/article/view/1222

Issue

Section

Original Article