Evaluation of Patchouli (Pogostemon patchouli) for its herbage yield and oil content in bettalands of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Patchouli (Pogostemon patchouli Pallet) is an important aromatic crop grown in partial shade to open areas having irrigation facility. With the advantage of long time storability of harvested produce, chance of periodical leaf harvests at 4 months interval, high profit fetching crop with nominal investments and its popularity is growing day by day. Uttara Kannada, being high rainfall area, the conditions is favorable for its cultivation by a common farmer with nominal investments. With this ideology, a field study was conducted in bettalands of Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. Among the locations, highest fresh herbage yield was observed in normal bettaland at Terakanahalli (20.22 tonnes/year from 3–4 harvests). Lowest yield was recorded in degraded bettaland of Sugavi (6.25 tonnes/year from 3–4 harvests). It was generally observed that plant recorded higher herbage yield in normal bettaland's when compared to the plant grown in degraded bettaland's. On an average the oil recovery was in the range of 2.15–2.65% on dry weight basis. The economically important active principles of patchouli viz. patchouli alcohol and nor-patchoulinol are found to vary from location to location. Highest amount of patchouli alcohol (31.54%) was found in patchouli grown in normal bettaland in Terakanahalli area and lowest amount was found in degraded bettaland located at Sugavi (28.11%).