Aromatic Crops Research Articles

Overcoming Challenges in Scented Geranium Cultivation, Processing, and Marketing: Study from Northern Karnataka, India

Medicinal and aromatic crops play a pivotal role in the socio-cultural, economic, spiritual and health dimensions of India's rural population and have become an integral part of our culture and rituals. Karnataka is a major repository of aromatic and medicinal treasures of the country. The demand for aromatic plants in India surpasses the available supply, prompting the widespread commercial cultivation of major aromatic crops in various regions. Among these, scented geranium emerges as a vital perennial aromatic, cultivated for its leaves imbued with a captivating rose fragrance. The aromatic oil of scented geranium is increasingly replacing traditional rose oil and identified as one of the top 20 essential oils traded globally. The present study aims to identify challenges in cultivation, processing and marketing aspects of scented geranium in Northern Karnataka. Considering the area and concentration of scented geranium in the state, Belagavi district is purposively selected for the study. Primary data was collected through personnel interview of randomly selected geranium growers. The major challenges faced by the farmers in the production, processing and marketing aspects of scented geranium were analysed and prioritized through Garett ranking technique. Analysis of the data revealed that in production, high cost of planting material, lack of high yielding varieties and high wage rates, high cost of inputs and sensitivity of crop to heavy rains were identified as top five constraints. Whereas, in processing, significant hurdles were high working capital requirement, high capital investment in installation distillation unit and insufficient knowledge on operation of distillation units, low oil recovery and lack of efficient processing equipment. In marketing aspects, high price fluctuation, lack of marketing information and lack of competition in the market, non-existence of local market and lack of adequate demand in nearby area were identified as major challenges in the study area. Educating farmers in nursery management and implementing mechanization techniques, particularly for harvesting, are crucial for enhancing productivity and profitability. Additionally, training on proper storage and transportation practices is essential to maintain the quality of volatile essential oils. This comprehensive strategy promotes sustainable and economically viable cultivation of scented geraniums in the region.

Evaluation of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus L.) Genotypes under Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka (Zone III)

Aim: To evaluate the lemongrass genotypes for growth, yield and quality contributing characters. Study Design: Fisher’s method of ANOVA by Panse and Sukhatme. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, Karnataka during rabi 2023-24. Methodology: Forty genotypes of lemongrass were assessed for growth, yield and quality parameters. Results: Among forty genotypes, Elite genotype recorded the maximum plant height and petiole length. Whereas, the highest plant spread, number of tillers, leaf length, leaf width and biomass yield per clump, per plot and hectare was found maximum in CKP25 and OD-83 for girth of the tiller at different growth stages. Conclusion: The genotypes superior for growth, yield and quality parameters will be considered for future breeding program.

Hydroponic Cultivation of Spices and Aromatics: Techniques, Benefits and Challenges

The global shift towards urbanization, with 55% of the population residing in urban areas and an anticipated rise to 68% by 2050, presents challenges to traditional farming. The increasing world population, further intensifies the strain on available agricultural land due to urban expansion. Climate change combines with these issues, make conventional cultivation more challenging. Alternative agricultural practices, such as hydroponics, gain significance in addressing these concerns. Aromatic and spices have been used for centuries for their medicinal and culinary properties. They contain various essential oils, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals responsible for their distinctive flavour and aroma, as well as their health benefits. The rising global demand for natural products from herbs and spices has led to its market growth. Hydroponics, a technology for cultivating plants in nutrient solutions with or without an artificial medium such as sand, gravel, vermiculite, rockwool, peat moss, coir or sawdust, offers a promising solution. This paper explores the potential of hydroponic cultivation for planting material production, enhancing the yield, nutritional composition, essential oil content and medicinal properties of various spice and aromatic crops, including black pepper, saffron, ginger, garlic, coriander, mint, celery, fenugreek, parsley, thyme, rosemary, green mustard, basil and others. The main challenges in hydroponic production of these crops include high initial investment, precise monitoring and lack of technical knowledge. Hence by reviewing recent literature, this paper aims to provide insights into the classification of hydroponics and its different techniques, benefits and challenges of hydroponic cultivation, various growing media and nutrient solutions used, types of hydroponics utilized and their purposes in the production of diverse herbs and spices. Embracing hydroponic techniques could contribute to sustainable agricultural practices, particularly in urbanized environments where traditional farming faces constraints.

Widely targeted volatilomics and transcriptome analyses reveal the differences in volatile organic components in differently shaped Amomum tsao-ko fruits

BackgroundAmomum tsao-ko is an important aromatic crop used in medicines and food. It can be categorized into three main types based on the fruit shape: long (L), oval (O), and round (R). However, limited information is available on the volatile substances present in differently shaped A. tsao-ko fruits. This study investigated the characteristics and biosynthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in fresh and dried A. tsao-ko fruits of different shapes using widely targeted volatilomics and transcriptome analyses.ResultsIn total, 978 VOCs, primarily terpenoids, esters, and heterocyclic compounds, were detected. The number of differentially accumulated volatile organic compounds (DAVOCs) in dried fruits of various shapes was significantly higher than that in fresh fruits, with terpenoids, esters, and heterocyclic compounds accounting for approximately 50% of the total DAVOCs. Notably, α-phellandrene, identified as a shared differential accumulated terpenoid across various fruit shapes, was detected in both fresh and dried fruits. Through transcriptome analysis, 40 candidate genes implicated in the terpenoid biosynthesis pathway were screened. An integrated analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome revealed that the structural genes HMGR-2, TPS7, TPS5-10, TPS21-3, TPS21-5, TPS21-6, TPS21-7, and TPS21-9, along with 81 transcription factors (including 17 NACs, 16 MYBs, 16 AP2/ERFs, 13 WRKYs, 13 bHLHs, and 6 bZIPs), co-regulate the biosynthesis of volatile terpenoids.ConclusionsThis study expands our understanding of the volatile metabolism profile of A. tsao-ko and provides a solid foundation for future investigations of the mechanisms governing fruit quality.

Influence of diurnal harvesting times on essential oil yield and chemical composition of lemongrass, palmarosa and tulsi

Essential oil yield and chemical composition of most of the aromatic crops are affected by environmental, agrochemical and genetic factors. One of such factors are Harvesting Time (HT’s), optimizing which may result in higher essential oil production with better quality. The present study was carried out to determine the effect of HT’s on three different aromatic crops [lemongrass, palmarosa and Ocimum sanctum (CIM-Ayu)] at different diurnal times (9.00 A.M 12.00 P.M and 3.00 P.M) in a day and the same was repeated thrice on alternate days from in the same fields. The results indicated that HT at 3.00 PM had higher essential oil content in all the three aromatic crops. But, the influence of HT on the quality of essential oil was specific to the different crops studied in this report. The quality of essential oil obtained from lemongrass harvested at 12.00 PM was found to be better as it showed more percentage of citral whereas the essential oils obtained from palmarosa and O. sanctum harvested at 3.00 PM were better as they showed more percentage of geraniol and eugenol respectively. This research not only refines essential oil production strategies but also underscores the crop-specific impact of harvesting times. The meticulous temporal analysis, coupled with statistical validation, contributes novel insights, providing practical benefits for industries reliant on these aromatic crops.

Growth and Economics of Production of Rooted Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) Cuttings as Affected by Drenching Cattle Urine

An experiment on survival and growth of rooted black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) cuttings as affected by drenching cattle urine was conducted at Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, Dapoli, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli during the year 2023-24. Eleven treatments and 3 replications in Randomized Block Design viz. T1 Cattle urine 5 %, T2 Cattle urine 7.5 %, T3 Cattle urine 10 %, T4 Cattle urine 12.5 %, T5 Cattle urine 15 %, T6 Cattle urine 17.5 %, T7 Cattle urine 20 %, T8 Cattle urine 22.5 %, T9 Cattle urine 25 %, T10 Keradix powder and T11 Control with the aim to investigate effect of drenching cattle urine on growth and economics of production of rooted black pepper cuttings. The highest length of sprout (65.17 cm), number of leaves per cutting (14.32) and leaf area (78.16 cm2) were recorded in treatment T7 i.e. drenching cattle urine 20 %. The maximum survival percentage (90.33%), net profit (₹ 2515.00) and B: C ratio (1.87) found in treatment T7.

Stability Analysis and Genetic Variability in Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.)

Aims: To estimate the genetic variability and to identify the stable buckwheat genotype for growth and yield parameters. Study Design: Eberhart and Russell model. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, Karnataka during Jan-April 2021-2022. Methodology: Fifteen genotypes of buckwheat were assessed for stability parameters for 15 characters across three environments i.e, full dose of recommended fertilizer (RDF), 3/4th dose of RDF and 1/2nd dose of RDF. The pooled data of these environments were used for estimation of genetic variability. Results: The heritability estimates were moderate to high for all the characters. The genetic advance over mean was found highest for number of clusters per cyme (35.05%), seed yield per plot (32.68%) and seed yield per hectare (32.72%). The genotype EC-104035 was found stable for seed yield per plant, per plot and hectare, EC-386667, EC-3222, Nilgiri local, PRB-1 and Sangla B-460 for thousand seed weight, IC-313134 and EC-3222 for plant height at 45 days after sowing and at harvest, Shimla B-1 for plant height at 15 days after sowing, IC-49671, IC-274429 and Sangla B-460 for number of branches at 30 DAS, PRB-1 for days to first flowering and Nilgiri local for days to 50 percent flowering. Conclusion: The genotypes stable for more traits with high genetic variability, will be considered for future breeding program.

Influence of Elicitors on Growth and Yield of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Varieties

Black cumin is a miracle herb, an emerging seed spice and a medicinal plant of great demand. Black cumin has been used since thousands of years as a spice and food preservative as well as a protective and curative remedy for several disorders. A field experiment was conducted at the Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, UHS Campus, GKVK, Bengaluru, from November 2018 to March 2019. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and included two factors: varieties and elicitors. Among the various treatment combinations, foliar application of methyl jasmonate at 100 ppm resulted in the highest recorded values for plant height (46.7 cm), primary branches (5.43), stem diameter (4.62 mm), dry weight of plants (8.42 g), and plant spread (397 cm2) when applied with nitric oxide (Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP)) at 2 mM on Pant Krishna variety. Conversely, the significantly highest chlorophyll content in leaves was observed in the Azad Kalonji variety sprayed with salicylic acid at 100 ppm. Furthermore, the significantly highest numbers of capsules (22.60), seeds per capsule (84.28), and seed yield per hectare (12.40 q) were recorded in Pant Krishna sprayed with methyl jasmonate at 100 ppm. The present study concludes that all varieties, including Azad Kalonji, AN-20, and Pant Krishna, performed equally well regarding growth and yield attributes in this location. Among the elicitors tested, methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid at 100 ppm show promise for commercial cultivation of black cumin.

Studies on genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) germplasms grown under the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, India

An evaluation of eighteen germplasms was conducted in Rabi season2020-21 using Randomized Block Design with three replicationsatDepartment of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, Collegeof Horticulture, Mandsaur, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi VishwaVidyalaya (M.P.). The phenological characteristics of 18 germplasmshowed that G - MDF-2 took the least amount of time for 50 % flowering3(45.33 days), 50 % pod setting (53.67) and days to maturity (116.00) ascompared to other germplasm. However, G -Suraj had maximum plant13height (10.34, 24.61, 49.99 and 92.18 cm) but G -Sehore-12 had highest10fresh weight (2.27, 9.67, 29.09 and 52.45 g), dry weight (0.32, 3.32, 18.55and 23.16 g), number of branches (4.33, 7.10, 10.80 and 14.57), leaf area(131.59, 572.17, 1629.65 and 711.84) and leaf area index (1.09, 3.54 and3.9) at 30, 45, 60 DAS and at harvest respectively. Whereas, G -Sehore-1012 had highest number of pods (34.57), number of seeds (22.20), podlength (12.07 cm), shelling % (72.63), seed yield (27.17) and harvest index(43.37). While, G -Sarayu had maximum test weight (17.47 g). The highest18GCV(21.01) and PCV (30.29) were observed for leaf area. Although, thehighest heritability was recorded in plant height (70.66) and test weight(64.55). The highest genetic advance was recorded in leaf area (139.15)and plant height (14.66). Whilethe highest genetic advance as a percent ofmean was observed in leaf area (30.03) and leaf area index (27.80).Out ofeighteen studied germplasms, the highest yield was recorded in G -10Sehore-12 followed by G -Shree and G -Lajwab.

Impact of Climate Change Assessments on Horticultural Crop Dynamics in Tamil Nadu, India

Aim: This study aims to analyze the dynamics of horticultural crop production in Tamil Nadu amidst climate change, focusing on trends, challenges, and opportunities across diverse agro-climatic zones, primarily considering variations in rainfall.
 Data: The research utilizes comprehensive datasets spanning a decade (2012-13 to 2021-22) encompassing records of rainfall, horticulture cultivation area, and production. The study focuses on major horticultural crop categories, including fruits, vegetables, plantation crops, spices and condiments, medicinal and aromatic crops, and flowers.
 Objective: (1) analyze compound annual growth rates of area, production, and productivity of key horticultural crops in Tamil Nadu, (2) conduct decomposition analysis over a decade for horticultural crops, and (3) assess climate change impact on agricultural production in Tamil Nadu focusing on rainfall patterns.
 Methodology: The study utilizes various analytical tools, including Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) analysis, percentage analysis, decomposition analysis, and the Cobb-Douglas production function. Secondary data from government publications, including the Season and Crop Report of Tamil Nadu and the Department of Horticultural and Plantation Crop Report of Tamil Nadu, are utilized for analysis.
 Results: The analysis reveals intricate patterns influenced by climate variability, with certain zones demonstrating harmonious growth, while others contend with challenges related to cultivation and productivity. The decomposition analysis highlights the respective contributions of changes in cultivation area and crop yield to variations in production, underscoring the impact of climate change on agricultural dynamics. Additionally, the Cobb-Douglas production function analysis indicates significant effects of both rainfall and cultivation area on horticultural production, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of factors influencing production trends.

Aromatic Crops in Odisha: A Fragrant Tapestry of Prosperity and Sustainability

Aromatic Crops in Odisha: A Fragrant Tapestry of Prosperity and Sustainability

Water stress effect on the quality and quantity of lemongrass essential oils in glass greenhouses: Juvenile and adult stages

The detrimental effects of water stress on the survival and productivity of many medicinal and aromatic crops of pharmacological interest are becoming increasingly important given the socioeconomic issues involved. The scarcity of precipitation and its irregularity endanger the life and productivity of certain medicinal plants of pharmaceutical interest with high economic value. Indeed, the biosynthesis of essential oils is influenced by various environmental factors, namely, an increase in the intensity of water stress. This natural constraint could have a positive impact on the synthesis of essential oils as well as on their chemical composition. In this article, we propose the study of the impact of this abiotic constraint on the quality and quantity of essential oils at the juvenile and adult stages of lemongrass, known for its therapeutic effects, by gas chromatography (GC). This study revealed a reduction in the yield of essential oil from citronella depending on the increase in the intensity of water stress at the juvenile and adult stages, except at the adult stage for severe drying, with a significant increase in the αcitral of 27% for the moderate treatment for adult lemongrass, and the increase in the βcitral increased by 37% for the severe treatment for adult lemongrass compared to the controls.

Horticulture –Arepository of speciality oils

There are a number of vegetable oils used in the world by the people in their day to day life for cooking, medicines, fuel...etc of which sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, palm oil, rape seed oil account for the largest percentage. There are also other oils which are derived from the horticultural crops though used in a small quantity by a small section of people possess an immense value. They are used for a wide range of purposes like medicine, cosmetics, cooking, pesticides, fungicides, perfumes…etc. Different crops produce different kinds of oils used for different purposes. Horticultural crops like fruit crops, vegetable crops, ornamentals, spices, plantations, medicinal and aromatic crops are used for extracting the oils. As the cost of a small amount of these oils is too high, it is a fetching business for the farmers to commercialize the production of these crops.

An Evaluation of Impact of Precision Farming on the Production of Medicinal as well as Aromatic Crops

Precision site-specific crop methods of production have grown increasingly popular in countries with modern agriculture. It is not unexpected that adopting precise approaches is now necessary in the cultivation of therapeutic crops. Therapeutic herbs, also referred to as herbal drugs, have been discovered and used by humans in conventional medical treatments since ancient times. Many chemical compounds are produced by plants for a variety of purposes, including defence and protection against herbivorus animals, fungus, insects, and illnesses. While aromatic plants are utilized for their scent and flavor, medicinal plants are often those that are employed in modern and traditional medicine. Although smart farming as well as agriculture in aromatic and herbal plants have been studied, little has been published despite precision agriculture’s long history and recent significant proliferation throughout the agriculture and scientific communities. The use of this novel approach and innovation can only be effective if it promotes ecological preservation and sustainable production. It’s interesting to note that this later area is more advanced than modern (precision) plant production methods while examining both seasonal and permanent woodland plants, as well as when describing interplant interaction. It is possible to discover new techniques for using sensor networks in ecological studies from the study of therapeutic plants. The chapter discusses the potential applications of hand-harvesting and precision crop production technology devoted to the growing of therapeutic herbs.

Enhancement of Essential Oil Production and Expression of Some Menthol Biosynthesis-Related Genes in Mentha piperita Using Cyanobacteria.

Mentha piperita L. is one of the most important aromatic crops and is cultivated worldwide for essential oils (EOs). The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of two cyanobacteria, Anabaena vaginicola ISB42 and Nostoc spongiaeforme var. tenue ISB65, as biological-elicitors to improve the growth and essential oil production of M. piperita. In this experiment, inoculation of M. piperita with cyanobacteria was performed by adding 1% cyanobacterial suspension to the soil of treated pots on the first time of planting and every 20 days thereafter. The experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design in an experimental greenhouse condition. After 90 days planting, the vegetative growth factors, the content of photosynthetic pigments, as well as the quantity and quality of EOs of treated and control plants were evaluated. Also, quantitative changes in the expression of some menthol biosynthesis-related genes were investigated. Cyanobacterial application led to significant increases in M. piperita growth indices including root and shoot biomass, leaf number, leaf area, node number and ramification, as well as photosynthetic pigments content. The statistical analysis showed a 41-75 % increase in some of these growth indices, especially in Nostoc-treated plants. A. vaginicola and N. spongiaeforme var. tenue inoculation led to a 13% and 25% increase in the EOs content of M. piperita, respectively. The EOs components were also affected by cyanobacterial treatments. According to the statistical analysis, Nostoc-treated plants showed the highest amount of (-)-menthone and (-)-limonene, with a 2.36 and 1.87-fold increase compared to the control. A. vaginicola and N. spongiaeforme var. tenue inoculation also led to 40% and 98% increase in transcript level of (-)-limonene synthase gene, respectively. The expression of the (-)-menthone reductase gene, was also increased by 65% and 55% in response to A. vaginicola and N. spongiaeforme var. tenue application, respectively. Our data demonstrated that in addition to growth enhancement, these two heterocystous cyanobacteria improved the quantity and quality of EOs by up-regulating the key genes involved in the menthol biosynthetic pathway. Based on our results, these cyanobacteria can be considered valuable candidates in the formulation of low-cost and environmentally friendly biofertilizers in sustainable peppermint production.

Effect of NPK and Bio-fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Chandrasur (Lapidium sativum L.)

The present field experiment was conducted at Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, RVSKVV, Mandsaur (MP) during the year 2020-2021 using Randomized Block Design in three replications. The experiment was carried out with various bio-fertilizers (PSB and Azotobacter @ each 5 kg/ha) and different doses of chemical fertilizers (NPK) along with one control. Result revealed that treatment T11 -NPK (40:50:40 kg/ha) + FYM (20 t/ha) + PSB+ Azotobacter (each 5 kg/ha) was recorded highest values of plant height (20.97, 101.20 and 114.40 cm plant-1), number of branches at harvest (26.29 plant-1), fresh weight (8.34, 95.57 and 84.17 g plant-1) and dry weight (1.19, 19.11 and 40.40 g plant-1) at 40, 80 and 120 days after sowing respectively. However, days to 50% emergence (6.28), days to 50% flowering (61.32) and days to maturity (114.38) were took lowest days with the same treatment. The maximum seed yield (22.06 q ha-1), biological yield (83.59 q ha-1), test weight (1.89 g) and highest harvest index (26.40) in the same treatment as compared to control. Under the economics of the treatment, the highest net return (Rs 70300) and benefit: Cost ratio (1.75) also found with same treatment.

Pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, food additive and agricultural perspectives of Cymbopogon martini: A potential industrial aromatic crop

Magnifying the productivity of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) ultimately relies on the ability to scale from Farm to Laboratory and Laboratory to Industry. Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) W.Watson (Poaceae), popularly known as palmarosa, Indian geranium, ginger-grass, and rosha-grass is rich in volatile secondary metabolites having an industrial perspective. In this review article, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the industrial application of C. martini and its potential in the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, food industries, and its agriculture perspective in terms of its potential in phytoremediation and land restoration. We have attempted to put all the material accessible in the literature about C. martini and its volatile metabolites for various industrial applications. Electronic databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Ethnobotany, Academic Journals, and library searches were used to assemble the available data. According to the published literature, the essential oil of C. martini is rich in cyclic and acyclic monoterpenoids which has a wide range of pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, food additive, and agricultural applications due to anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, wound healing, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anthelmintic, insecticidal, larvicidal, acaricidal, nematicidal and herbicidal activities. The cultivation of C. martini has shown additional benefits in terms of restoration of productivity and functions of wasteland through the phytoremediation process. This review article provides first-time updated information about C. martini as a potential bio-resource for utilization of wastelands with special reference to its industrial potential.

Quality Evaluation of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) Germplasms under New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India

The study was conducted at the Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, Faculty of Horticulture, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal, India during March-May, of 2020 and 2021. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality content of 18 ginger germplasm and to identify the most suitable promising genotypes under New alluvial zone of West Bengal. The result of the study shows that maximum essential oil content was obtained from the genotype Surabhi (1.65%) followed by Gorubathan (1.60%), Hui local (1.57%) and the lowest in Takeng local (0.88%). Highest oleoresin content was observed in the genotype Surabhi (7.88%) followed by Hui local (6.42%), Thinglaidum (6.34%) and the lowest was observed in Meghalaya local (3.51%). Maximum dry recovery was recorded in the genotype Gorubathan (23.00%) followed by Surabhi (22.20%), Hui local (22.02%) and the minimum in Moran ada (16.62%). Maximum crude fibre content was recorded in the genotype Takeng local (7.58%) followed by Jorhat local (7.40%) and lowest was with Surabhi (4.49%). Further, the maximum moisture and ash content were observed in Thinglaidum (14.21%) and Moran ada (7.25%) respectively. Thus, the genotypes viz., Surabhi, Gorubathan, Hui local, Thingria, Thinglaidum and Nadia gave an overall appreciable amount of quality content and were considered to be most suitable promising genotypes for their quality content in New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal.

A study on geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L′Herit ex Aiton) cultivars’ productivity and economics as intervening by diverse climatic conditions of the western peninsular region of India

The essential oil of geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L′Herit ex Aiton) has multifarious properties and is one of the industrially important aromatic crop. Since the productivity, content, and composition of essential oil of geranium is well recognized that geranium depends on both external and internal variabilities, which include suitable cultivars, climate, and seasonal changes, knowledge of the different agro-climatic conditions is necessary for the production of quality essential oil. Hence, the current investigation was carried out to study the variation in the yield productivity and essential oil composition of the two selected geranium cultivars, CIMAP Bio-G-171 (C1) existing cultivar and the newly released cultivar CIM-Bharat (C2). The study was conducted during the year 2020–2022 in a tropical region of five different districts/locations [Satara district (L1), Ratnagiri district (L2), Bhandara district (L3), Jalgaon district (L4) and Ahmednagar district (L5)] of Maharashtra, India. The results findings revealed that the productivity of geranium cultivars was influenced by different locations in Maharashtra. From the mean data of locations, fresh biomass yield was ranging 47.62–27.47 (ton ha−1). From the mean data of the cultivar, C2 showed a maximum (56.45 kg ha−1) essential oil yield over the presently dominant cultivar C1 (47.55 kg ha−1), however C:G ratio of cultivar C2 was higher than C1 in all locations. According to the average economic data from each location, L3 had the maximum gross return (10,270 US$ ha−1 or 8.036 × 105 INR ha−1), total net profit (7356 US$ ha−1 or 5.756 × 105 INR ha−1), and B:C ratio (2.52), while it was followed by L2 and lowest was achieved in L5.

Agronomic Evaluation and Chemical Characterization of Lavandula latifolia Medik. under the Semiarid Conditions of the Spanish Southeast.

Lavandula latifolia is one of the main rainfed crops of aromatic and medicinal plants produced in Spain. As a global concern, the agronomic productivity of this aromatic crop is also threatened by the consequences of imminent climate change. On this basis, the study of the agronomic production of two drought-tolerant ecotypes, after three years of cultivations practices, constitutes the main objective of the present study. For this trial, clones of the two pre-selected ecotypes, along with clones from two commercial plants (control), were grown in an experimental plot. The main results confirmed an increase in biomass and essential oil production with plant age. The essential oil chemotype defined by 1,8-cineol, linalool, and camphor was maintained over time, but a decrease in 1,8-cineol in the benefit of linalool was detected. In the phenolic profile, 14 components were identified, with salvianic acid and a rosmarinic acid derivate being the main compounds quantified. These phenolic extracts showed potent in vitro antioxidant capacity, and after the second year of cultivation practices, both phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity remained stable. Thus, under semiarid conditions, L. latifolia drought-tolerant ecotypes reach a good level of production after the second year of crop establishment.