Horticulture
Horticulture :: TNAU :: Varieties :: Medicinal and aromatic crops


VARIETIES OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS

1. Geranium
2. Rosemary
3. Senna
4. Thyme

VARIETY DESCRIPTION
 1. Geranium
KKL 1 (1987)

It is a clonal selection from an Algerian variety. It is vigorous in growth. It yields 45.2 tonnes of green leaves per hectare from which 54.4 kg of essential oil can be extracted. The oil recovery is 0.16%. First harvest can be made eight months after planting and continued thereafter once in three months. The leaf oil contains 60.56% geraniol as against 54% in the local type.

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 2. Rosemary

Ooty (RM) 1

 

It is developed by selection from the seedling progenies of rosemary. It is a perennial type and viable upto 12 years. It has high yield potential of  green leaves in one year. The leaves possess high rosemary oil content (0.9 %). Green and dried leaves possess excellent aroma and cooking quality. This variety is resistant to leaf blight disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani and pests like white flies and aphids. Under rainged condition, it can be cultivated during June – July and September – October. The crop yields an average of 12.4 tonnes / ha of green leaves / hectare which is 46.0% increase over local type. It adopts well under the temperate zone of the Nilgiris from 900 to 2500 m above MSL and similar areas. It is suitable for cultivation in the well drained loamy soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0.

 

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3. Senna
KKM Se 1 (2001)

 

It is a selection from Thenkalam local released from Department of Horticulture, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam. Plants are spreading bushy type with 7-8 branches, 13.5 leaflets/leaf. Petiole and immature pods are green in colour. Pod length is 4.68 cm with 1.65 cm width. Suitable for cultivation in red loam and medium black soils of Tirunelveli and Thuttukudi districts during Dec – Jan and Jun – Jul under rainfed and during Jan – Feb under irrigated condition. The yield of dried leaves is 712 kg/ha with a pod yield of 266 kg/ha, which is 47.7 and 53.8 per cent respectively higher than local variety. This variety possesses good rejuvenation after stripping once in 30 days. Pods and leaves are good laxatives with medicinal property. It possesses good export potential. Duration is 135-140 days with a sennoside content of 2.54%.

 

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4. Thyme

OOTY (Tv 1) (2006)

 

It is a pureline selection from five germplasm types. A perennial crop with high green leaf yield potential and commercially viable upto 4 years. It is found suitable for cultivation during June – July and under rainfed condition during September – October. The leaves possess high thyme oil content (07%) whereas 0.4% in local type. The thyme oil contains 23.63% of thymol chemotype (a major constituent for its medicinal properties), whereas the local type contains only 20.20%. Green and dried leaves possess excellent aroma and cooking quality. It is resistant to root rot disease, root knot nematode and white flies and aphids. This variety has an yield potential of about 10.70 tonnes of green leaves / year which is 33.7 % increase over local type. A highest yield of about 11.5 t/ha of green leaves was obtained from this cultivar. It performs better in well drained loamy soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and found suitable for temperate zone of the Nilgiris from 900 to 2500 m above MSL and similar areas.

 

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