ISSN 2375-1134
African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 001-007, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Assessing N-use efficiency, planting time and economics of fertilizer N in rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L’ Herit) in Western Himalayan Region of India
Rajesh Kumar Verma1*, Laiq-ur-Rahman1, Ram Swaroop Verma1, Alok Kalra2, Arun Kumar Kukreja2, Anand Singh Bisht1, Amit Chauhan1 and Suman Preet Singh Khanuja2
1Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Resource Centre, Purara, P. O. Gagrigole 263 688, District Bageshwar, Uttarakhand, India.
2Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), P. O. CIMAP, 226 015, District Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Accepted 18 November, 2018
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of N levels and planting times on growth, biomass and oil yield attributes, agronomic efficiency (AE) and partial factor productivity (PFP), and economics of N application through marginal analysis. Results indicated that reducing the duration (from planting to harvesting) from December (144 days) to April (74 days) significant result in reduction in percent dry matter production, biomass, oil yield, PFP, AE and net income. Nitrogen application significantly increased dry matter production, leaf/stem ratio, biomass and oil yield in February planted crop. The AE of applied N, were also higher in February planted crop. The AE of applied nitrogen at 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1 were 188, 224 and 200 kg-1 kg N respectively. At 100 kg N ha-1 the crop earned a maximum profit Rs. 30.02. The quality of essential oil was not significantly influenced by application of different nitrogen levels.
Key words: Nitrogen, fertilizer, agronomic efficiency, scented geranium.