PERFORMANCE OF CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS L. IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF JAIPUR CITY, RAJASTHAN TO FIND THE SUITABILITY OF SOILS FOR CULTIVATION

Several elements take part in the growth and development of plants and those absorbed from the soil or water by roots are broadly speaking, plant nutrients.The plant takes up macronutrients like carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and iron (Fe) as well micronutrients like, sulphur (S), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), and chlorine (Cl).Soil moisture, pH, and EC values are the physical properties of the soil, and organic carbon, phosphorus, and potassium values are some of the chemical characteristics of soil.Samples taken from three different geographical areas of Jaipur (Rajasthan) have been tested for physical and chemical characteristics with the objective to correlate performance in terms of production of primary metabolites (protein) and secondary metabolites (trigonelline alkaloid) of Catharanthus roseus L. Soil testing results showed % soil moisture of all three sites are 2.35, 2.67, and 2.15; pH of soil samples in all the three sites were slightly alkaline and values were 8.4, 7.84, and 7.8, respectively.Electrical conductivity of the three sites were 0.27, 0.37 and 0.28 mmhos cm -1 and organic carbon values were 0.16%, 0.24%, and 0.19%, apiece for order of samples.Values of the phosphorus, and potassium were 28, 25, and 22 kg ha -1 and 331.5, 280, and 250.9 kg ha -1 , for respective sample.The physicochemical properties such as soil moisture, pH, EC, organic carbon, phosphorus and potassium in requisite amount is necessary for the growth of the plant.Catharanthus roseus L. easily grows up in slightly alkaline soil with electrical conductivity < 1, water deficient area, loamy sand, low organic carbon and medium amount of phosphorous and potassium.Jaipur soils physical and chemical characteristics investigated in present work are found suitable for Catharanthus roseus L. Proteins and trigonelline were found higher in plant growing in soils of University of Rajasthan than other two localities.