Vetiver, also known as khus, is a native grass of India that is cultivated for its essential oil. It is a perennial bunchgrass that grows deep roots to become highly drought tolerant. The oil is extracted through steam distillation of the dried roots and rootlets. India is a major producer of vetiver oil, which is used widely in perfumes and aromatherapy for its earthy scent. Vetiver grass is also grown as a cover crop for soil and water conservation due to its ability to stabilize soil and prevent erosion with its dense root system.

1. Sunil Bhardwaj
FIRST BATCH
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2. Vetiver or Khus
B. N. – Chrysopogon zizanioides
Family – Poaceae (Graminae)
 Common name – Khus" in Hindi and Bengali. Vetiver or
Vela achamver in Tamil.
 . Local name: Usirah, Usira, Vira (Sanskrit), Valo
(Gujarati); Ramacham (Malayalam); Illamichamber
(Tamil); Vattiveru (Telugu); Panni (Punjabi); Vala
(Marathi); Khas (Urdu)
Origin – India
(Western and northern India)
Worldwide production is estimated at about 250 tons per
annum.
Due to its excellent fixative properties, vetiver is used widely
in perfumes.
It is contained in 90% of all western perfumes.
Commercial crop in Kerala and Assam mainly as rainfed
crop

3. Vetiver or Khus grass
 It is the source of the valuable aromatic "Vetiver oil" which enjoys world
wide reputation being one of the finest oriental perfumes.
 It is called "Khus" in Hindi and Bengali. Vetiver or Vela achamver in Tamil.
 As an important essential oil yielding plant of India, vetiver has been grown
and extensively used in the country for several centuries.
 India has been exporting vetiver oil worth more than 1.5 lakhs but still there
is much scope to increase the export.
 Its medicinal and commercial importance was known even in the earliest
days of Indian civilization.
 The vetiver grass is a native of India and is found through out the plains and
lower hills of India. Burma, Ceylon.
 It is systematically cultivated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
(Chrysopogon zizanioides)

4. Botany
 It reaches up to 2.0 m tall under cultivation
 It is a perennial grass, bunchgrass of the Poaceae family, native to India.
In western and northern India, it is popularly known as khus.
 The stems are tall and the leaves are long, thin, and rather rigid.
 The flowers are brownish-purple.
 Unlike most grasses, which form horizontally spreading, mat-like root
systems.
 The root system of vetiver is finely structured and very strong.
 It can grow 3–4 m deep within the first year. Vetiver has
no stolons nor rhizomes. Because of all these characteristics, the vetiver
plant is highly drought-tolerant and can help to protect soil against sheet
erosion.
 In case of sediment deposition, new roots can grow out of buried nodes.

8. Facts about Vetivergrass
 The Chrysopogon zizanioides is widely cultivated in the tropical regions of
the world.
 The major vetiver producers include Haiti, India, Java, and Réunion.
 The most commonly used commercial genotypes of vetiver are sterile (do
not produce fertile seeds)
 These genotypes are non-invasive and can easily be controlled by
cultivation of the soil at the boundary of the hedge. However, care must
be taken, because fertile genotypes of vetiver have become invasive

11. Climate:
Warm and humid climate
It can be grown under both wet and dry or arid and
tropical conditions.

12. Soil:
Sandy loam soils are preferred. Clay loam is
acceptable, but clay compact soil is not ideal.
pH ranging from 6.0 to 8.0 is ideal.
It has good soil binding nature, they can be grown as
vegetative cover over naked, eroded slopes.

13. Varieties:
Two genotypes are found in India:
(i) North Indian type: has thick stem, narrow leaves, profusely flowering
with medium growing and highly fragrant roots but low oil content
(0.2-0.8%)
(ii) South Indian type: It has broader leaves, bushy growth, biennial
flowering and high pollen sterility. Higher oil content (0.6 – 1.2 %)
Commercial varieties:
Hybrid 8 and Sugandha – 14 – 18 kg oil with vetiverol (75 – 85%)
Nilambore – 20 kg oil / ha

14. Different cultivated varieties
 KS-1 : Essential oil yield 17.8 kg/ha
 Sugandha: Yields 21.2 q fresh roots/ha, 1.4% oil content and 19.7 kg ha oil yield /
ha
 Hybrid-8: Root yield 12-15 q/ha, 1% essential oil content and possess 70-85%
vetiverol
 Keshari: Saffron flavoured, oil yield 30 kg/ha
 Gulabi: Has a rosy odour, tolerant to sodic soil, yields 2.8 t dry roots and 25-30
kg/ha of essential oil, can be cultivated in marginal soils and waste lands
 Dharini: Possesses longer, thicker and dense roots, tolerant to sodic soil, is a
good soil binder and useful for soil and water conservation, oil yield 39 kg/ha

15. Propagation:
 Tillers and slips
 The slips are planted in pits, five to eight cm deep made with a pointed
stick.
 Two or three slips are planted in each pit.
 1,50,000 to 2,25,000 slips / ha with 2 - 3 slips per pit

16. Planting System
Ridges and furrows: 30-38 cm high and 48 cm apart and the slips are
planted 23 cm apart.
Beds: 30 cm high, 68 cm wide and 45 cm apart edge to edge and the slips
are planted on these in two rows 22.5 cm

22. Vetiver Oil
The essential oil is extracted by steam
distillation from the chopped, dried and
soaked roots and rootlets.
One of the most earthy essential oils -
use when you are overusing your brain
or mental capacities or when you feel
spaced out. It is a wonderful anti-stress
oil and a strengthener when the body is
debilitated.
Possible Uses
Acne, arthritis, cuts, depression,
exhaustion, insomnia, muscular aches,
oily skin, rheumatism, sores, stress.

23. Manures and Fertilizers:
 Deeply ploughed by cross harrowing
 Compost / FYM @ 10 tonnes / ha
 20 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 20 kg K2O / ha

24. Planting season:
July – August
Plant population:
60,000 plants / ha
Weedicides:
Atrazine or Oxadizone (0.5 kg in 800 gallons
of water)

25. Harvesting
The roots are dug out at 15 – 16 months after planting in
next autumn. If delayed its oil content reduces.
The dug out roots are separated, cleaned and dried for 7 –
10 days in shade (till 10% moisture remains in them)
The roots are light in weight and yellowish in colour ,
taking 24 -36 hours o exhaust all oil content when charges
in steam distillation under pressure.

26. Yield:
 5 to 7 tones /ha of roots which on distillation yield 15 to 16 kg of oil.
 Roots yield 1.0 to 1.5 per cent of oil on dry weight basis
 The colour of the oil is light yellow and the oil contains 75 to 85 per cent
veteverol.

27. Uses: Herbal - perfumes, creams and soaps
 Soil and water conservation
 Runoff mitigation and water conservation
 Crop protection and pest repellent
 Vetiver as a termite repellent
 Animal feed
 Food and Flavorings
 Perfumery and aromatherapy
 Medicinal use
 In-house use
 Fuel cleaning
 Aesthetic
 Religious
 Essential oil

28. Vetiver Oil
The essential oil is extracted by steam
distillation from the chopped, dried and
soaked roots and rootlets.
One of the most earthy essential oils -
use when you are overusing your brain
or mental capacities or when you feel
spaced out. It is a wonderful anti-stress
oil and a strengthener when the body is
debilitated.
Possible Uses
Acne, arthritis, cuts, depression,
exhaustion, insomnia, muscular aches,
oily skin, rheumatism, sores, stress.

29. Advantages
 Very simple, practical & inexpensive
 Low maintenance
 Very effective means of
 soil & water conservation, sediment control, land stabilization &
rehabilitation
 Multiple uses
 Environmental friendly
Does it offer a miracle solution?

30. Disadvantages
 Seed easily spread in the wind
 may become a weed, infesting an area
 Unpalatable to livestock (unsuitable fodder)
 Not suitable for human consumption
 Not a suitable option for small holdings
 Oil extraction unlikely option for poor farmers
 Lower stabilizing qualities than trees & shrubs
 World Bank publicity campaign