SEED RATE , PLANTING OF ROSSELLE AND SORREL

1. SEED RATE , PLANTING,
SPACING , MANURING , WATER
MANAGEMENT IN PORTULACA,
ROSELLE AND SORREL

2. PORTULACA
Scientific name: Portulaca olerceae
Family: Portulacaceae
2n= 54 (hexaploid)
Economic part: Leaves and young shoot.
They possess pleasant falvour.
Common name: Portulaca, purslane.

3. PurslaneWeed (Portulaca oleracea)
 A Prospective Plant Source of Nutrition,
Omega-3 Fatty Acid, and Antioxidant
Attributes
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is an
important plant naturally found as a weed in
field crops and lawns

4. Seed rate
1.5 kg seeds per hectare. As seeds are
very small, they require some filler like
sand etc

5. PLANTING AND SPACING
Purslane is easily grown in the
vegetable garden from seed, ready for
harvest in 6-8 weeks. Sow in fertile,
well-drained soil and thin to 4 to 6"
apart.

6. WATER MANAGEMENT
When grown as a food crop, water
regularly as moisture-stressed leaves
are not as palatable as those from well-
watered plants.

7. Roselle
Scientific name: Hibiscus sabdariffa
2n = 72 (Allotetraploid)
Roselle is a member of okra family
Malvaceae
Economic part: Stem, leaves and flower
buds.

8. SEED RATE
Seeds are planted at a rate of
6-8 kg/ha and approximately
2.5 cm deep.

9. PLANTING AND SPACING
Seeds are usually planted at the
beginning of the rainy season,
60 cm - 1 m between rows and
45-60 cm apart.

10. The pH level of Roselle will be 5.5 to 6.8. Roselle
plants grow well in sandy loam to loamy sand soil
The reduced planting rate produces a larger calyx.
Sowing is done by hand or using a modern grain
drill.
Sudan is presently the major producer of roselle;
however, farmers regard it as a famine food. When
drought is expected, farmers prefer to cultivate
roselle rather than cereals because of its hardiness
under adverse conditions

11. MANURING
Roselle requires minimal management &
production inputs. Fertilizer application
(usually compost or other organic inputs at
the rate of 0.5 to 1.0 kilograms or kg/ per
square meter) can be done as basal or side-
dressing once or twice during the vegetative
stage & once during the reproductive stage.

12. WATER MANAGEMENT
The field is irrigated directly after the sowing if
there are no rains.
Later, the irrigation is given at a regular interval of
four days until the seedlings emerge and are well
established.
Later, weekly irrigation through the dry period is
enough. Two weedings through the early period of
growth are enough to suppress the weeds.

13. Sorrel
Scientific name: Rumex vesicarius
Family: Polygonaceae
Economic part: Leaves and petioles

14. PLANTING
Choose a sunny spot with good drainage
and tilled soil. Only till the top 12 inches
of soil with organic matter to loosen up
the site for planting. The tilled bed will
also cut down on weeds and help long tap
roots adjust comfortably.

15. SPACING
Sow sorrel seeds 1/2 inch deep, spaced about
3 inches apart. When the plants are 1 to 2
inches tall, thin to a spacing of 12 to 15
inches. Typically, two or three plants meet
the needs of the average family. Sorrel does
not need any supports to grow.

16. WATER MANAGEMENT
Give your sorrel plants regular water; at
least 1 inch per : week. Mulching will
help conserve moisture and prevent
soil from splashing up onto the leaves.

17. MANURING
Sorrel is happiest when started in a
rich soil, but you should amend the soil
each year with organic matter and
possibly side-dress with compost or
granular fertilizer applied mid- season.

18. THANK YOU
BY
M. DHANESWARAN