Lemongrass a promising aromatic crop of Paschimanchal – prospect and possibilities
Research article by: Souvick Banik and C. S. Karthik
Ph.D. Research Scholars, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal
Lemongrass is a perennial grass plant widely distributed worldwide and most especially in tropical and subtropical countries (Francisco et al., 2011).Cymbopogon is a genus of about 55 species, which are indigenous in tropical and semi-tropical areas of Asia and are cultivated in South and Central America, Africa and other tropical countries. These are tufted perennial C4 grasses with numerous stiff stems arising from a short, rhizomatous rootstock, as with citrus flavor, and can be dried and powdered or used fresh. The name Cymbopogon is derived from the Greek words “kymbe” (boat) and “pogon” (beard), referring to the flower spike arrangement. East Indian lemongrass oil is known as Cochin oil in the world trade and it accepted as the finest oil. At present, India grows this crop in 3,000 ha area, largely in states of Kerala, Karnataka, U.P. and Assam and the annual production ranges between 300-350 t/annum.
Importance of Lemon grass in India and World Scenario: Lemongrass is a grass which yields an aromatic oil containing 70-90% citral. The name lemongrass is given to this crop because of typical strong lemon-like odour of the plant which is predominantly due to the high citral content in the essential oil present in the leaves. Lemongrass oil of commerce the world trade as 90% of it is coming from Cochin port. Kerala has the monopoly in the production of lemongrass oil. The annual world production of lemongrass oil is around 1000 tonnes. Lemongrass oil is one of the most important essential oils being widely used for the isolation of citral which can be converted into ionones having the odour of violets. ß-ionone is used for the commercial synthesis of vitamin A. In some Far Eastern countries like Java, Japan, China and India the leaves are used for flavouring foods, drinks and tea and for scenting bathwater. The oil is used as a repellent against flies and mosquitoes. The spent grass is an excellent fuel, manure and mulch and forms raw material for the production of silage, mushroom and paper boards. The crop is also cultivated along the bunds as alive mulch. The well ramified root system of the plant helps in soil and water conservation.
Botany: Lemongrass belongs to the family Graminae (Poaceae) and the genus Cymbopogon. Three species are generally identified.
i) C. flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.) Wats. (2n=20,40): It is known as East Indian, Cochin or Malabar grass. Under this species two varieties are identified based on the stem colour are a)C. flexuosus var. flexuosus have not enough oil yield but the citral content of the oil is high (75-90%). b) C. flexuosus var. albescens: The oil is poor in solubility but oil yield is high but poor in citral content (60-75%). Cymbopogon flexuosus is a tufted robust perennial grass, 2 m tall. It flowers freely. Leaves linear, lanceolate 125x1.7 cm. Panicles very large, drooping, lax, greyish-green, rarely with a purplish tinge, with the raceme pairs in dense masses, spreading, 100-135 cm long, slightly hairy, lower glumes of the sessile spikelets 3-4, 4-5 mm long, 1 mm wide with 1-3 definite or obscure intracranial nerves, shallowly concave with one to two depressions.
ii) C. citratus (DC.) Stapf. (2n=40,60): It is known as West Indian or American lemon grass. It is a stemless perennial grass with numerous stiff tillers arising from short rhizomatous rootstock, making large tussocks. It seldom flowers in cultivation. Leaf blade narrow, linear, glaucous, drooping, 50-100 x 0.5-1.5 cm with scabrous margins. Ligule truncate, 0.2-0.8 cm long. Inflorescence rarely produced, a large loose panicle; spathe bracts long and narrow, sessile spikelets, awn less, linear-lanceolate.
iii) C. pendulus (Nees ex Steud.) Wats: It is known as Jammu lemongrass and it is white stemmed and dwarf in stature. The plant is frost resistant and suited to Sub-Himalayan areas of Northern India.
Cultivation prospects: Lemon grass is very hardy, drought tolerant crop. It require warm and humid climate, with abundant sunshine and well distributed rainfall. Heavy and waterlogged soil are not suitable for its cultivation. Seeds are sown in nursery beds during April-May and covered with thin layer of soil and irrigated at regular interval. It is planting in the main field at a spacing of 30x30cm or 60x45 cm .
Postharvest technology: The essential oil is produced by distillation of the grass with water. For obtaining good quality oil, steam distillation in stainless steel units is preferred, with a steam pressure of 18-32 kg/cm2 in the boiler. The grass is distilled either fresh or after wilting. Wilting of grass for 2 days and chopping to 3 cm size gave about 30% more oil and citral. The oil yield and content in the grass depend upon several factors such as fertility of the soil, climatic conditions, age of the grass, time of cutting, the state of the grass distilled (whether fresh or dry) etc. On an average the oil recovery is 0.2-0.4% and the oil yield is 100-125 kg/ha/year.
Physico-chemical properties of oil: The physico-chemical properties of Cymbopogon flexuosus red and white types, C. pendulus and C. citratus are given in the following. East Indian lemongrass oil is more soluble in alcohol than others and hence it is more preferred for direct use in perfumery. C. flexuosus oil contains 75-85% of aldehydes consisting largely of citral. Other constituents in the oil are linalool, geraniol, citronellol, nerol, 1,8-cineole, citronellal, linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, -pinene, limonene, caryophyllene, ß-pinene, ß-thujene, myrcene, ß-ocimene, terpinolene, methyl heptanone and terpineol. The essential oil of C. citratus contains approximately -pinene 0.13%, ß-pinene 0.19%, delta-3-carene 0.16%, myrcene 12.75%, dipentene 0.23%, ß-phellandrene 0.07%, ß-cymene 0.20% methyl heptanone 2.62%, citronellal 0.73%, ß -elemene 1.33%, ß-caryophyllene 0.18%, citronellyl acetate 0.96%, geranyl acetate 3.00%, citral b 0.18%, citral a 41.82%, geraniol 1.85%, elemol 1.20% and ß-caryophyllene oxide 0.61%. The average composition of C. pendulus oil is reported to be -pinene 0.19%, camphene 0.01%, ß-pinine 0.16%, car-3-ene 0.04%, myrcene 0.04%, dipentene 0.35%, phellandrene 0.30%, p-cymene 0.36%, methyl heptanone 1.05%, citronellal 0.49%, linalool 3.07%, ß-elemene 0.70%, ß-caryophyllene 2.15%, citronellyl acetate 0.72%, geraniol acetate 3.58%, citral b 32.27%, citral a 43.29%, geraniol 2.60%, elemol 2.29% and ß-caryophyllene oxide 1.56%.
Constituents:Citral-a (46.6%)and Citral-b(12.8%) is the major chemical constituent. The oil is distilled from leaves and flowering tops of Lemon grass with an oil recovery of 0.2-0.3%.
Area of Prospects in Paschimanchal: Average oil yield per ha per year is 480 kg with a gross return of Rs. 288000/ha which is too high as compared with the net return of rainy season rice of Rs. 22500/ha and can change the economic status of the rural people of these area .As soil and climatic conditions of Paschimanchal favours the crop, therefore there is a tremendous prospect to grow the crop in the unused land or unproductive lands with a good economic return.
Area of Possibilities in Paschimanchal: In West Bengal, lemongrass can be easily cultivated by the farmers in rural areas where scarcity of water is a major issue and areas like district of Bankura, Midnapore (East and west), Purulia and some parts of Burdwan.
Reference:
Francisco, V., Figueirinha, A., Neves, B. M., GarcíaRodríguez, C., Lopes, M. C., Cruz, M. T. and Batista, M. T. 2011. Cymbopogon citratus as source of new and safe anti-inflammatory drugs: bio-guided assay using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. J. of Ethnopharma. 133: 818–827.
Research article by: Souvick Banik and C. S. Karthik
Ph.D. Research Scholars, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal
Lemongrass is a perennial grass plant widely distributed worldwide and most especially in tropical and subtropical countries (Francisco et al., 2011).Cymbopogon is a genus of about 55 species, which are indigenous in tropical and semi-tropical areas of Asia and are cultivated in South and Central America, Africa and other tropical countries. These are tufted perennial C4 grasses with numerous stiff stems arising from a short, rhizomatous rootstock, as with citrus flavor, and can be dried and powdered or used fresh. The name Cymbopogon is derived from the Greek words “kymbe” (boat) and “pogon” (beard), referring to the flower spike arrangement. East Indian lemongrass oil is known as Cochin oil in the world trade and it accepted as the finest oil. At present, India grows this crop in 3,000 ha area, largely in states of Kerala, Karnataka, U.P. and Assam and the annual production ranges between 300-350 t/annum.
Importance of Lemon grass in India and World Scenario: Lemongrass is a grass which yields an aromatic oil containing 70-90% citral. The name lemongrass is given to this crop because of typical strong lemon-like odour of the plant which is predominantly due to the high citral content in the essential oil present in the leaves. Lemongrass oil of commerce the world trade as 90% of it is coming from Cochin port. Kerala has the monopoly in the production of lemongrass oil. The annual world production of lemongrass oil is around 1000 tonnes. Lemongrass oil is one of the most important essential oils being widely used for the isolation of citral which can be converted into ionones having the odour of violets. ß-ionone is used for the commercial synthesis of vitamin A. In some Far Eastern countries like Java, Japan, China and India the leaves are used for flavouring foods, drinks and tea and for scenting bathwater. The oil is used as a repellent against flies and mosquitoes. The spent grass is an excellent fuel, manure and mulch and forms raw material for the production of silage, mushroom and paper boards. The crop is also cultivated along the bunds as alive mulch. The well ramified root system of the plant helps in soil and water conservation.
Botany: Lemongrass belongs to the family Graminae (Poaceae) and the genus Cymbopogon. Three species are generally identified.
i) C. flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.) Wats. (2n=20,40): It is known as East Indian, Cochin or Malabar grass. Under this species two varieties are identified based on the stem colour are a)C. flexuosus var. flexuosus have not enough oil yield but the citral content of the oil is high (75-90%). b) C. flexuosus var. albescens: The oil is poor in solubility but oil yield is high but poor in citral content (60-75%). Cymbopogon flexuosus is a tufted robust perennial grass, 2 m tall. It flowers freely. Leaves linear, lanceolate 125x1.7 cm. Panicles very large, drooping, lax, greyish-green, rarely with a purplish tinge, with the raceme pairs in dense masses, spreading, 100-135 cm long, slightly hairy, lower glumes of the sessile spikelets 3-4, 4-5 mm long, 1 mm wide with 1-3 definite or obscure intracranial nerves, shallowly concave with one to two depressions.
ii) C. citratus (DC.) Stapf. (2n=40,60): It is known as West Indian or American lemon grass. It is a stemless perennial grass with numerous stiff tillers arising from short rhizomatous rootstock, making large tussocks. It seldom flowers in cultivation. Leaf blade narrow, linear, glaucous, drooping, 50-100 x 0.5-1.5 cm with scabrous margins. Ligule truncate, 0.2-0.8 cm long. Inflorescence rarely produced, a large loose panicle; spathe bracts long and narrow, sessile spikelets, awn less, linear-lanceolate.
iii) C. pendulus (Nees ex Steud.) Wats: It is known as Jammu lemongrass and it is white stemmed and dwarf in stature. The plant is frost resistant and suited to Sub-Himalayan areas of Northern India.
Cultivation prospects: Lemon grass is very hardy, drought tolerant crop. It require warm and humid climate, with abundant sunshine and well distributed rainfall. Heavy and waterlogged soil are not suitable for its cultivation. Seeds are sown in nursery beds during April-May and covered with thin layer of soil and irrigated at regular interval. It is planting in the main field at a spacing of 30x30cm or 60x45 cm .
Postharvest technology: The essential oil is produced by distillation of the grass with water. For obtaining good quality oil, steam distillation in stainless steel units is preferred, with a steam pressure of 18-32 kg/cm2 in the boiler. The grass is distilled either fresh or after wilting. Wilting of grass for 2 days and chopping to 3 cm size gave about 30% more oil and citral. The oil yield and content in the grass depend upon several factors such as fertility of the soil, climatic conditions, age of the grass, time of cutting, the state of the grass distilled (whether fresh or dry) etc. On an average the oil recovery is 0.2-0.4% and the oil yield is 100-125 kg/ha/year.
Physico-chemical properties of oil: The physico-chemical properties of Cymbopogon flexuosus red and white types, C. pendulus and C. citratus are given in the following. East Indian lemongrass oil is more soluble in alcohol than others and hence it is more preferred for direct use in perfumery. C. flexuosus oil contains 75-85% of aldehydes consisting largely of citral. Other constituents in the oil are linalool, geraniol, citronellol, nerol, 1,8-cineole, citronellal, linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, -pinene, limonene, caryophyllene, ß-pinene, ß-thujene, myrcene, ß-ocimene, terpinolene, methyl heptanone and terpineol. The essential oil of C. citratus contains approximately -pinene 0.13%, ß-pinene 0.19%, delta-3-carene 0.16%, myrcene 12.75%, dipentene 0.23%, ß-phellandrene 0.07%, ß-cymene 0.20% methyl heptanone 2.62%, citronellal 0.73%, ß -elemene 1.33%, ß-caryophyllene 0.18%, citronellyl acetate 0.96%, geranyl acetate 3.00%, citral b 0.18%, citral a 41.82%, geraniol 1.85%, elemol 1.20% and ß-caryophyllene oxide 0.61%. The average composition of C. pendulus oil is reported to be -pinene 0.19%, camphene 0.01%, ß-pinine 0.16%, car-3-ene 0.04%, myrcene 0.04%, dipentene 0.35%, phellandrene 0.30%, p-cymene 0.36%, methyl heptanone 1.05%, citronellal 0.49%, linalool 3.07%, ß-elemene 0.70%, ß-caryophyllene 2.15%, citronellyl acetate 0.72%, geraniol acetate 3.58%, citral b 32.27%, citral a 43.29%, geraniol 2.60%, elemol 2.29% and ß-caryophyllene oxide 1.56%.
Constituents:Citral-a (46.6%)and Citral-b(12.8%) is the major chemical constituent. The oil is distilled from leaves and flowering tops of Lemon grass with an oil recovery of 0.2-0.3%.
Area of Prospects in Paschimanchal: Average oil yield per ha per year is 480 kg with a gross return of Rs. 288000/ha which is too high as compared with the net return of rainy season rice of Rs. 22500/ha and can change the economic status of the rural people of these area .As soil and climatic conditions of Paschimanchal favours the crop, therefore there is a tremendous prospect to grow the crop in the unused land or unproductive lands with a good economic return.
Area of Possibilities in Paschimanchal: In West Bengal, lemongrass can be easily cultivated by the farmers in rural areas where scarcity of water is a major issue and areas like district of Bankura, Midnapore (East and west), Purulia and some parts of Burdwan.
Reference:
Francisco, V., Figueirinha, A., Neves, B. M., GarcíaRodríguez, C., Lopes, M. C., Cruz, M. T. and Batista, M. T. 2011. Cymbopogon citratus as source of new and safe anti-inflammatory drugs: bio-guided assay using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. J. of Ethnopharma. 133: 818–827.