Effects of chloride and sulphate dominated salinities on growth and yield of lemongrass [Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud) Wats.]
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Date
2011
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Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
Lemongrass [Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud) Wats.] is a perennial grass belonging to
family poaceae. It is commercially cultivated in Kerala, Assam, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The shoot
of the plant bears an essential oil having typical lemon like odour. The oil is used in manufacture of vitamin
A and several other preparations. The present research investigation was undertaken to enrich scientific
database regarding the productive potential and economic yield of the medicinal and aromatic plant,
lemongrass. The experiment was conducted to study the effects of chloride and sulphate dominated
salinities on morpho-physiology, net primary productivity, herb yield and oil content of lemongrass.
The plants were raised by rooted slips in dune sand filled polythene bags, in a screen house at
varying EC levels viz. 0 (control), 4,8,12 and 16 dSm-1 of Cl- dominated and SO4
2- dominated salinity along
with nutrients. The results revealed a significant reduction in growth attributes such as plant height, number
of leaves per plant and number of tillers per plant at the two growth stages i.e. 60 DAT and 120 DAT, with
the build up of salinity in the growing medium. Relatively higher reductions were noticed under Cldominated
salinity. Senescent leaves (%) per plant, however, increased with the increasing EC levels.
Senescence of leaves was found higher under chloride dominated salinity. SLA and LAR did not show any
significant changes with the type and increasing EC levels of salinity. NAR and RGR, however, declined
under the influence of salinity. Reduction in RGR was found higher under chloride dominated salinity.
Root and shoot fresh weights as well as dry weights, also, declined with increasing salinity at both the
stages. Cl- salinity proved more deleterious to both shoot and root growth and declined herb yield at 120
DAT. Accumulation of proline in leaves was found under the influence of salinity. Relatively higher
proline accumulation was found under chloride dominated salinity. Chl ‘a’, chl ‘b’ and total chlorophyll
contents undergone more reduction under chloride dominated salinity. Oil content (%) (fresh weight basis)
was more in salt stressed plants than control. However, progressive increase of salinity declined it. Results
revealed that after an increase under low salinity level (4 dSm-1) the oil yield per plant declined with the
progressive increase of EC levels, at 60 DAT. The decline in oil yield per plant, however, was quite evident
right from 4 dSm-1 EC level, at 120 DAT. Oil yield per plant was found higher under sulphate dominated
salinity.
Na+,Cl- and SO4
2- increased while K+ decreased with increasing EC levels. Accumulation of Na+
and SO4
2- was more under sulphate dominated salinity while that of K+ and Cl- was higher under chloride
dominated salinity.
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Keywords
Livestock, Animal husbandry, Economic systems, Productivity, Yields, Milk products, Area, Biological phenomena, Selection, Marketing