Medicina &aromatic plants-Important to improve productivity and returns-palmarosa

[aromedindia]

1.Palmarosa is well adopted to varied soil and climate.Warm and humid areas better.
2. Utilize waste land (poor soil,undulated land,rainfed areas and dry lands) for cultivation.
3.Do not plant large area as harvesting required to complete within a short period of 15-20 days.Delay in harvesting causes sharp decline in oil content and poor regeneration in susiquent harvest.Full bloom ideal time for harvesting.
4.Weeding of nursery is most tedeous and time and labour consuming operation.Keep nursery area moist for 15 days before sowing to stimulate weed seed germination and minimize weed competetion in nursery.
5. Plant 40-45 day old seedlings. Seedlings less than of above age may give poor establishment.Optimum nutrient content in seedlings helps in establishment.Plant seedlings when there is light rain or cloudy.
6.Do not fertilise heavily during rainy harvest.Maintain moisture and nutrient level at optimum during summer harvest, whereever irrigation facility exists. Summer harvest gives best recovery of oil even if some dely in harvesting occures.
7. Chopping of herb facilitate distillation process and minimizes cost of distillation.
8.Organic mulching is advantageous in several respects.
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