2. Name of Topic: Cultivation Practices of
Geranium and Vetiver
Subject Name & Subject Code: Production
Technology for Ornamental Crops, MAP and
Landscaping
(AGT-208)
Faculty Name: Ms. Simarjit Kaur (E6753)
Department: UIAS
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3. Objective and Outcomes
Objectives
To strengthen
understanding of
production technology of
Geranium and Vetiver.
To acquaint the students
with cultural practices and
intercultural operations in
Geranium and Vetiver.
Outcomes
Students will learn about
production technology of
Geranium and Vetiver.
Students will also knows
about different varieties
and uses of Geranium and
Vetiver.
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5. Geranium
Geranium : Pelargonium graveolens, Family : Geraniaceae
Common Name : Rose-scented pelargonium
Geranium is one of the important aromatic plants, yielding
an essential oil which is highly priced for its very profound
and strong rose-like odour.
The plant is also known as rose geranium.
The chief constituents of the oil are (18%) geraniol and
citronellol (25%).
Essential oil extracted through steam-distillation is used
in fragrance, flavor and pharmaceutical industries
The pure geranium oil is almost a perfume by itself and
blends well with all other perfumes.
6. Scope of Geranium cultivation
As against the yearly consumption of about 150 t
requirement of geranium oil, India produces a meagre
quantity of about 5 t per year. Therefore, most of the 145 t
requirement of geranium oil of the Indian industry is
being largely met through imports
The current international demand of about 600 tonnes
geranium oil is being largely met by China, Morocco,
Egypt, Reunion Island and South Africa (Qinghua 1993;
Anon., 1996–1997).
India is a net importer of rose-scented geranium oil as
demand far exceeds its production, therefore excellent
potential exists for extending it cultivation.
7. Important about Geranium
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is an erect, branched
shrub, which can reach a height of up to 1.3m and a spread
of 1m
The leaves are strongly rose scented
It is a native of dry rocky slops of Cape Province (South
Africa) and grown chiefly in Reunion, Algeria, southern
France, Spain, Morocco, Madagascar, Congo and Russia for
the production of oil.
A number of species have been introduced into India and
grown in gardens, some of which are found in the Nilgiri hills.
In India, it is cultivated mostly in south and grows well in
temperate, subtropical and tropical climates.
It is propagated by stem cuttings (Anon, 1991).
8. Uses of Geranium
Geranium oil has historically been used in the treatment of
dysentery, haemorrhoids, inflammation, heavy menstrual
flows and even cancer
Geranium oil is one of the top 20 essential oils in the world
and used mainly in perfumery, cosmetic and food industry
(Rashmi and Manjushri, 2010)
The French medicinal community currently treats diabetes,
diarrhoea, gall bladder problems, gastric ulcers, jaundice,
liver problems, sterility and urinary stones with this oil
9. Cont….
Geranium oil provides relief within minutes whereas
tropical capsaicin, the commonly prescribed conventional
remedy for shingles pain, begins to alleviate pain in about
two weeks (Greenway et al., 2003)
The aromatic oil is extensively used in various types of rose
fragrances where petal and foliage effects are desired; in
scenting of soaps due to its stability in slightly alkaline
medium and in cosmetic products.
Leaves of geranium is also used in herbal teas and the oil is
used as
10. Origin and Distribution
Geranium is a native of the Cape Province in South Africa.
Commercially cultivated in France, Belgium, Spain,
Morocco, Madagascar, Egypt, Reunion Islands, Congo,
china, India and the former USSR countries.
The world production of geranium oil is estimated at 250 -
300 t, whereas the demand is more than 600 t annually.
11. Cont….
The first planting of a high yielding Geranium introduced
from Renuion island was grown at Yercaud by a French
planter, in the early twentieth century.
From that time onwards it has been cultivated as a
commercial crop, but only in high altitude areas with a
milder climate.
Presently it is being commercially cultivated mainly in the
Nilgiris and Kodaikanal Hills of Tamil Nadu and in and
around Bangalore in Karnataka in an area of about 2000
ha
13. Description of the plant
Geranium is a bushy, aromatic plant.
The stem is cylindrical, woody at the base, pubescent,
green when young and turning brown with age.
The leaves are alternate, stipulate, simple with 5 primary
lobes and secondary lobes and densely pubescent.
The leaves are highly aromatic in nature.
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14. Soil requirement
Grown on a wide variety of soils.
It prefers well-drained sandy to loam soils with a pH range
of 5.8 to 8.5 and sunny, hot, frost-free conditions.
Ideal soil types should be rich in organic matter and have a
clay content of not more than 40 %.
Pelargonium grow well in the sandy soils of the coastal
belt.
It can tolerate high alkaline soils as well. Good drainage is
required to prevent water logging and reduce the
incidence of root diseases
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15. Climatic Requirements
Temperature
Prefers warm temperate to subtropical climates with a long
growing season without extreme weather conditions.
It grows well at a temperature range of 10 to 33 °C, and it
needs enough sunshine for the development of oil in the
plant.
The plant is sensitive to cold weather and cannot
withstand frost.
Optimum temp 20 to 25 °C
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16. Rainfall
The favourable rainfall should range from 700 to 1500 mm
per year, uniformly distributed throughout the season.
In areas where rainfall is less, it can be grown with
supplementary irrigation.
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17. Essential Parts
Leaves and stalks are the
essential parts of this plant.
The essential oil is
extracted from fresh plant
material mainly using
steam distillation
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18. Propagation
Geranium is easily propagated by cuttings; since there is no seed
setting in geranium, vegetative propagation is a must.
Terminal cuttings about 10-20 cm long and consisting of about 8
nodes are the best suited material for propagation, as they give
80% rooting even without any treatment.
However the middle portion and basal cuttings are reported to
give poor rooting, which can be improved by treating them for 6
minutes with growth regulators like IBA or IAA at 200 ppm.
The transplanted cuttings have a characteristic initial slow
growth and are susceptible to weed competition during this lag
phase leading to yield losses (Rajeswara Rao and Bhattacharya,
1997)
Rao et al. (1988) found 60×45 cm spacing to be optimum for
obtaining high yields of rose-scented geranium in Bangalore
plains.
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19. Cont….
The cuttings are planted in raised beds 3m long and 1m wide.
The soil should be well mixed with powdered FYM.
The cuttings are planted closely at a spacing of 8-10 cm.
Before planting, the cut end of the cuttings is dipped in 0.1%
Benlate solution.
Before root initiation, temporary shade is provided and the beds
are watered regularly.
The nursery is sprayed with a 0.2% urea solution at biweekly
intervals and the cuttings strike roots in 40 days.
After about 60 days, the cuttings are ready for transplanting.
They can also be rooted in polythene bags, which help to avoid
damage to the root system while planting in the main field.
This practice ensures a high percentage of success in the field.
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20. Cont….
Recently its propagation through leaf petioles has also
been reported to give a good rooting percentage (75%),
which will help to multiply this plant in larger numbers
than the traditional method of propagation using 20cm
long cuttings.
The CIMAP, Lucknow, has developed a protocol for large
scale production of geranium Calli-clones and plants have
been obtained under field conditions with improved oil
yield and quality.
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21. Intercropping
To enhance crop productivity, attempts were made to grow
short duration legumes like
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)
Blackgram (Vigna mungo) (Prakasa Rao et al., 1984, 1986)
Greengram (Vigna radiata)
Clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) (Rajeswara Rao et
al., 2000)
Butterbeans (Phaseolus luteus L.) (Narayana et al., 1986)
and
Garlic (Allium satium L.) (Muni Ram and Kumar, 1998)
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22. Planting
Terminal stem cuttings of uniform size (9–10 cm) in length
having seven to eight nodes and three to four terminal
leaves) of rose-scented geranium cv. Bourbon were grown
in polythene bags (10 cm in diameter and 16 cm in length,
filled with native red soil, kept under partial shade and
regularly watered.
One cutting was planted in each bag for Rooting
Healthy, profusely rooted, 60 days old cuttings were
transplanted in the field
About 30,000 cuttings are required for planting an area of
1 ha.
Before planting, the land should be properly prepared by
ploughing and broughtto fine tilth.
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23. Cont….
Ridges and furrows are made, the application of fertilizer
and irrigation should be done a day prior to planting.
The cuttings are carefully dug out from the nursery and
planted at a spacing of 60 x 45 cm.
They must be irrigated immediately after planting.
Irrigation is continued on alternate days for about 10-15
days and then reduced to twice a week.
The schedule is modified during the winter and summer
months at intervals of 7 to 10 days depending on the
situation.
Though geranium tolerates short periods of drought, but
water logging of the crop must be completely avoided.
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24. Harvesting
Geranium is harvested 4 months after transplanting, when the
leaves begin to turn light –green and exhibit a change from a
lemon like odour to that of rose.
However this requires careful observation and experience.
The crop should be harvested using a sharp sickle and sent for
distillation immediately.
The use of a sharp sickle is important as it minimizes the jerks,
pulls and damage to the crop while harvesting.
After every harvest, hoeing, fertilizer application and irrigation
are done according to the schedule.
The plants then put forth fresh shoots, grow faster, and reaches
the next harvesting stage in 4 months. Thus a total of 3 harvests
can be expected in a year.
Cultivation under poly house conditions is reported to reduce
the harvest time by 21 days.
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25. Vetiver Distribution
Common name : kus-kus/vetiver
Scientific Name: Vetiveria zizanioides
Family: Poaceae
2n = 20
Official part: Root commonly known as khus root
Perennial grass
Native to tropical and sub-tropical areas of Indian
subcontinent
Grows wild in drier, periodically inundated tracts of
western & north central India
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27. Uses of Vetiver Grass
1. Soil and water
conservation:
Soil moisture
improvement, ground
water recharge,
rehabilitation of eroded
lands, and prevention of
erosion on sloppy lands
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28. Cont….
2. Agriculture related activities :
Mulch in orchards, nursery block and planting medium,
compost, animal feed (during lean summer months),
substrate for mushroom cultivation, pesticide and
weedicide.
3. Handicrafts:
Handy accessories (bags, hats, belts, and brooches),
containers (baskets, pots, boxes, and bowls), decorative
materials (clocks, dolls, picture frame, flower etc.), home
appliances (chair, stool, brooms, and mattress), stuffing
material in ventilating panels used in electric desert
coolers etc.
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29. Cont….
6. Construction material :
Vetiver culms and leaves are used for roof thatching,
preparation of vetiver mud brick, vetiver clay composite
storage bin, veneer and fiber board, straw bales etc.
7. Bio-energy :
Two form of energy sources can obtained from vetiver i.e.
green fuel (vetiver culms & leaves mixed with water
hyacinth mixed in a ratio of 3:2) and ethanol. By using one
cycle column distillation as much of 13% ethanol can be
obtained from leaves.
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30. Cont….
8. Industrial products :
Used as a raw material for making pulp and paper. Vetiver
has a high content of hemicelluloses. Root mass can be
used for making panels.
9. Rehabilitation of degraded eco-system :
Stabilizing steep slopes and reduces probabilities of any
kind of landslides. Can withstand high levels of nitrate,
phosphate, heavy metals, and agricultural chemical
pollutants. It can be used for treating waste water,
rehabilitating of metaliferous degraded waste lands and
rubbish dumps.
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31. Major production area
Vetiver is indigenous to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka and Malaysia. Its main producers are Tropical Asia,
Africa, Australia, Haiti, Indonesia, Guatemala, India, China
and Brazil. Crop is also cultivated in Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Japan, Angola, Belgian Congo, Dominican
Republic, Argentina, British Guiana, Jamaica, Mauritius and
Honduras. Worldwide production is estimated to about
250 tons per annum.
In India, it is seen growing wild throughout Punjab, Uttar
Pradesh and Assam. It is systematically cultivated as a crop
in the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala,
Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Anually
20-25 tonnes of oil is produced in India
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32. Vetiver Cultivation Practices
A) Soil
Vetiver can be grown on almost every kind of soil.
However, light soils, should be avoided as the roots grown
in this soil produce very low percentage of oil. Well drained
sandy loam and red lateritic soils rich in organic matter are
considered to be ideal for cultivation.
pH - 8.5 to 10
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33. Cont….
B) Climate
Tolerant to a wide range of temperature ranging
from -15 °C to +55 °C
The optimal soil temperature for root growth is 25 °C. Root
dormancy occurs when temperature goes below 5 °C.
Tolerant to drought, flood, submergence and grows
luxuriantly in places having moderately humid climate with
annual rainfall of 1000 to 2000 mm.
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35. Cont….
D) Land preparation & Planting
Land is ploughed to a depth of 20-25 cm by 2-3 deep
ploughings and remove the perennial weeds.
Suitable time for planting is June – August
Spacing of 60×30 cm / 60 × 45 cm / 60 × 60 cm based on
soil fertility status, climate, variety and irrigation facility.
On poor soils, 10 tons of FYM along with 25-50 kg/ha each
of N, P2O5 can be applied. N:P2O5:K2O dose of
60:22.5:22.5 is recommended in Kerala.
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36. Cont….
E) Irrigation
Need based. Indry areas about 8-10 irrigations
2-3 weeding and earthing-up at an interval of one month
for newly established crop
Aerial portion is trimmed at 20-30 cm above ground level
thrice during the entire cropping period of two years.
First - 4-5 months after planting,
Second - 2nd yr just before flowering
Third – 2nd winter season/just before digging of roots
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37. Cont….
F) Plant Protection
Termites ,Grubs of beetle Phyllophaga serrata, controlled
broadcasting neem cake @ 5 t/ha before final ploughing.
Stem borer, Chilo sp. and scale insects- Remove the leaves
and plants severly infested by scales and spraying with
neem oil 5%
Nematode infestation caused by Heterodera zeae-
neem cake @ 5 t/ha before final ploughing.
During rainy season the plant is infested by
Fusarium sp. Leaf blight caused by Curvularia
trifolii- controlled by 2-3 spraying or drenching of
copper oxy chloride 0.3%.
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38. Cont….
G) Harvesting
Roots are harvested after 15-24 months of planting, but to
obtain good quality oil it should be harvested at 18
months.
Crop is generally harvested during December - February by
digging out the clumps along with its roots manually.
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