Highest Fresh Herbage Research Articles

Assessment of yield and economics of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) with different biofertilizers and organics

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different bioformulations and biofertilizers on yield and economics of menthol mint cultivation. The study revealed that the highest fresh herbage (34.50 t/ha), shade herbage (29.42 t/ha) and oil (290.87 kg/ha) yield were recorded in T11: (RDF) (150: 60: 60 NPK kg/ha and FYM-10 t/ha) + panchagavya (3%) + amritpani (3%) + humic acid (0.2%) + Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus (Glomus intraradices), Azotobacter chroococcum + Azospirillum brasilense + Phosphorous solubilizing bacteria (PSB). While, lowest fresh herbage (15.69 t/ha), shade herbage (12.45 t/ha) and oil (98.61 kg/ha) yield were noticed in T1 (control): RDF (150: 60: 60 NPK kg/ha and FYM-10 t/ha). Maximum gross returns (Rs 3,63,591), net returns (Rs 2,80,168) and benefit: cost ratio (3.36) were recorded in T11 whereas, minimum benefit: cost ratio was recorded in T1 (control).

Effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil fertility, nutrient uptake and yield of French basil

Field experiments were conducted at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru during kharif season of 2015 and 2016 with nine treatments and three replications in a randomized block design to find out the effects of integrated nutrient management on post-harvest soil nutrient availability, nutrient uptake and fresh and dry herbage yield of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). The results revealed that combined application of recommended FYM (10 t ha−1) and NPK (160: 80: 80 kg ha−1) registered the highest fresh herbage (39.95 and 19.37 t ha−1), dry herbage yield (8.43 and 3.76 t ha−1) and essential oil yield (199.7 and 107.58 kg ha−1) in the main and ratoon crop, respectively. The maximum nutrient uptake in the main crop was recorded as N (155.67 and 113.19 kg ha−1), P (43.80 and 32.43 kg ha−1) and K (163.33 and 116.16 kg ha−1) and in ratoon (56.43 and 26.65 kg ha−1), (16.14 and 14.01 kg ha−1) and (55.65 and 39.27 kg ha−1) in first and second year, respectively. Highest nitrogen and potassium availability in post-harvest soils was recorded with application of FYM (10 t ha−1) + 100% recommended N through FYM + bio-fertilizer consortia (227 and 236.33 kg ha−1) and (296.80 and 340.60 kg ha−1) while, the application of 160: 80: 80 kg NPK ha−1 + FYM (10 t ha−1) i.e., T9 recorded the highest available phosphorus (42.31 and 58.15 kg ha−1) during 2015 and 2016, respectively. The results from this study demonstrated that organic manure along with conventional fertilizer can maximize fresh and dry weight, oil yield, nutrient absorption as a results of increasing the soil fertility.

Assessment of date of planting, land configuration and plant spacing in geranium under sub-mountaineous region of Punjab

A field experiment was conducted at PAU Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur during 2013–14 and 2014–15 to assess the effect of date of planting, land configuration and plant spacing on the fresh herbage yield and essential oil yield of geranium under sub-mountaineous region of Punjab. The experiment was laid out in split-split plot design having three replications with date of planting of geranium in main plots and land configuration in subplots and plant spacing in sub-sub plots. It consists of three planting dates of geranium plot viz. D1: November 15, D2: November 30, D3: December 15, two land configurations (Bed and Flat planting) in sub-plots and three plant spacing viz. S1: 90cm×30cm, S2: 90cm×45cm, S3: 90cm×60cm in sub-sub plots. The results indicated that the date of planting, land configuration and plant spacing did not show any significant effect on plant height of geranium at both harvests during both the years of study. The maximum plant spread was observed at D1: November 15, which was statistically at par with D2: November 30 and both these levels significantly higher than that of D3: December 15. Geranium planted on beds attained more plant spread which was significantly higher than that of flat planted plots. The maximum values of plant spread were produced by plant spacing of S3: 90cm×60cm, which was statistically at par with S2: 90cm×45cm and these two plant spacing treatments resulted in significantly higher values of plant spread than 90cm×30cm. Significantly the highest herbage yield and essential oil yield were recorded in D1: November 15 which was statistically at par with D2: November 30 and these treatments obtained higher herbage yield and essential oil yield than D3: December 15 at both harvests during both the years of study. Significantly higher fresh herbage yield and essential oil yield in both the harvest were recorded in bed planting than in flat planting among both the harvests of geranium. Among plant spacing, the highest fresh herbage yield and essential oil yield was observed in both the harvest in plant spacing S1: 90cm×30cm, proved significantly superior to S2: S2: 90cm×45cm and S3: 90cm×60cm. The date of planting, land configuration and plant spacing resulted in statistically similar values of oil content of geranium at both harvests during both the years of study.

Evaluation ofCitronellaunder bettaland's in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India

A field experiment was conducted during 2005–07 at Uttara kannada district, Karnataka to study the effect of soppina betta's on the herbage and oil content. Among the locations, highest fresh herbage yield was observed in degraded bettaland at Sugavi area (25.77 t/ha/year). Lowest yield was recorded in normal bettaland of Terakanahalli area (2.23 t/ha/year). The oil content was highest in citronella grown in normal bettaland when compare to degraded bettaland. The economically important active principles of citronellagrass viz. citronellal, citronellol, geraniol and citronellyl acetate were found to vary from location to location.

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

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%).

Irrigation and nitrogen requirements of Bergamot mint on a sandy loam soil under sub-tropical conditions

A field experiment was conducted with Bergamot mint ( Mentha citrata Ehrh) var. Kiran at Lucknow, India in 1992 and 1993 under four soil moisture regimes (0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 irrigation water: cumulative pan evaporation (IW:CPE) ratio) and four levels of nitrogen (0, 80, 160, 240 kg ha −1). Soil moisture regimes maintained at 1.2 IW:CPE ratio significantly increased the crop growth, and herb and essential oil yields as compared with those having 0.6 and 0.9 IW: CPE ratio. The former produced 86.4% and 10.0% higher fresh herbage than the latter two moisture regimes, with a 63% and 12.7% increase in essential oil yield, respectively. Application of 160 kg N ha −1 was found to be the best with respect to the yield of the crop, but increased levels beyond this did not cause deleterious effects on the synthesis of monoterpenes in the essential oil. High moisture regimes maintained during summer months proved significantly better for efficient utilization of water and nutrient by the crop. The quality of the essential oil in terms of its two major constituents, linalool and linalyl acetate increased favourably up to 1.2 IW:CPE ratio, while the former decreased and the latter improved slightly with the higher moisture conditions prevailed during both the harvest. Higher rate of N fertilization (240 kg ha −1) favoured the synthesis of linalool, a major constituent of essential oil only during the first harvest. It is concluded that the Bergamot mint should be irrigated at 1.2 IW:CPE ratio with an application of 160 kg N ha −1 in the sub-tropical climate of India