Nutrient management influence on growth and yield of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus cv. Krishna) under new alluvial zone of West Bengal
Nutrient management in lemongrass
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25081/josac.2025.v34.i2.9945Keywords:
Nutrient management, Lemongrass, growth, yield, essential oil, economicsAbstract
A field experiment was conducted during 2023 from March to October as two harvests at the Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, to evaluate the effect of different doses of nutrient management practices on growth, yield, essential oil content and economics of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus cv. Krishna). Eleven treatments comprising graded levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, farmyard manure (FYM) and an unfertilized control were laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Observations were recorded for two successive harvests (July and October). The results revealed significant variation among treatments for all growth, yield and quality parameters. Application of NPK @ 120:60:60 kg ha-1 (treatment- 3) significantly improved the growth attributes such as plant height (ranging from 12.47 % & 12.60 %), number of tillers (64.31 % & 50.75 %) and leaves per clump (64.79 % & 50.46 %), fresh herbage yield (149.92 % and 165.33 %), dry herbage yield (198.73 % and 197.59 %), essential oil yield (189.23 % and 198.16 %) and oil content (15.79 % and 12.50 %) in the first and second harvest, respectively. These values were statistically at par with treatment-2 (NPK @ 100:60:60 kg ha-1) and treatment -1 (NPK @ 80:60:60 kg ha-1) for most traits. In contrast, the control treatment recorded the lowest yields and oil content. Principal component and correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive association between growth traits, herbage yield and essential oil yield. Economic analysis further indicated the highest net return and cost–benefit ratio under treatment-1 (NPK @ 80:60:60 kg ha-1) in both the harvests. The study clearly demonstrated that an optimum dose of NPK fertilization plays a critical role in maximizing both biomass production and essential oil yield in lemongrass.
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