Author(s):

Rayees A Bhat, GM Bhat, NA Pala, FA Shahkhan, Huzaifa Majeed and Nida Rafiq

Abstract: Acorus calamus is growing naturally in wetlands of Kashmir, an attempt was made to propagate it through rhizomes collected from natural habitat in open nursery conditions. In he present study rhizomes of Acorus after collection from the natural habitat were divided into four different diameter classes viz D₁ (< 0.75 cm), D₂ (0.75to 1.5 cm), D₃(1.5 -2.25) and D₄ (2.25 to 3.0).The rhizomes of these different classes were then sown in well prepared beds at four different spacing’s, S1 (60 cm × 30 cm), S2 (60 cm × 45 cm), S3 (60 cm × 60 cm) and S4 (60 × 75 cm).The rhizomes falling in the higher diameter class D₄ (2.25 to 3.0) and at planted at spacing of (60 cm × 75 cm) attained cent percent survival, maximum number of leaves per plant (11.80). The trend was same for other growth parameters viz., leaf area (10.53cm²), leaf dry weight (11.38g/plant), rhizome length (16.75cm), rhizome diameter (5.76mm), above ground biomass (18.50g/plant), below ground biomass (75.50g/plant) and total biomass (94.0g/plant) which was also recorded higher in the higher diameter class of rhizomes D₄ (2.25-3.0 cm) and at higher spacing of S₄( 60 cm × 75 cm).Essential oil yield was obtained from leaves and rhizomes of Acorus calamus . In leaves maximum essential oil content was obtained from spacing S₄(60cm x 75cm) 0.0115ml/plant and minimum essential oil content was obtained from lower spacing (60cm x 30cm) 0.0067 ml/plant . Similarly, in rhizomes maximum essential oil content was obtained from wider spacing (60cm x 75cm) 0.550ml/plant (16.27kg/ha) and minimum essential oil content was obtained from narrow spacing (60cm x 30cm) 0.212 ml/plant (10.45kg/ha).

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