Performance of patchouli Pogostemon patchouli Pellet as influenced by nitrogen spacing shade growth regulators and harvest techniques

Abstract

Studies were conducted at the Main Agricultural Research Station of the University of newlineAgricultural Sciences, Dharwad during 2002-03 and 2003-04 for optimizing herbage newlineproduction, oil yield and quality of Patchouli by evaluating the effect of nitrogen, spacing, newlineshade, growth regulators, levels and intervals of harvesting. newlineThe treatment combination of 150 kg nitrogen with 45 x 45 cm spacing (N4S2) was newlinefound superior in inducing plants to produce higher herbage yield per hectare (fresh and dry) newlineat three different harvests. The same treatment combination significantly increased the total newlineherbage yield per hectare (fresh and dry) and total oil yield per hectare. newlineCultivation under open condition had a significant influence on fresh and dry newlineherbage yield and oil yield per hectare at the first and second harvests compared to shade newlinecultivation. However, after the crop was harvested twice, the plants under open condition newlinecould not satisfactorily grow further. Whereas, under shade, the plants kept performing newlineequally well as that of I and II harvest thus the herbage yield at III harvest was higher under newlineshade and even the fourth harvest was also possible. Shade cultivation also influenced the newlinetotal herbage yield per hectare (fresh and dry), oil yield per hectare, oil content and oil quality newlinesignificantly. newlineExperiment conducted on growth regulators revealed that the application of 100 ppm newlineGA + 2 ppm triacontanol resulted in higher fresh and dry herbage yield and oil yield at all the newlinethree harvests. The total fresh and dry herbage yield per hectare and total oil yield per newlinehectare were also significantly influenced by the same treatment. newlineIn the experiment on harvesting, the treatment combination L2I2 (70% harvest at 90 newlinedays interval) resulted in increased fresh and dry herbage yield and oil yield at three different newlineharvests. Significantly higher total fresh and dry herbage yield and oil yield per hectare were newlineregistered under the same treatment combination.