EFFECT OF TILLERS CUTTING HEIGHT ON QUALITY PRODUCTION OF PALMAROSA (Cympopogon Martinii)

A study was conducted to assess the role of tiller height on quality production of palma rosa grass varieties. A field experiment consisting of two varieties (Wg-tejisar-I and Wg-tejisar-II) and four levels of cutting height (20, 25, 30 and 35 cm) in RCBD with three replications. There was tow harvesting time with in three months interval all parameters were taken during the course of field experiments. The first cycle data was taken three months later after planting. Even if no significant difference the effects of planting 20 and 35 cm height tiller on the two palmarosa verities have better plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers. The maximum weight of fresh biomass was harvested by planting WG-Tejsar-II variety with 20 cm long tillers (8.89 t/ha) which have no biomass difference with planting WG-Tejsar-I 20 cm long tillers (8.60 t/ha). The highest oil content recorded at the plot which contain WG-Tejsar-I variety with planting 30 long tillers (1.90 %) and planting WG-Tejsar-II variety with 35 cm long tillers (1.29 %) ranked first and second respectively. The recorded oil yield of planting 20 cm long tillers on the WG-Tejsar-I (109.92 kg/ha) and 35 cm with WG-Tejsar-II (90.44 kg/ ha) verities have higher essential oil as compare to planting 25 and 30 cm long tillers respectively. Excluding plant height and survival count all parameters were affected by varying the height of tillers in the time of the two cycle and the value indicated that planting 30 or 35 long tillers for the two palmarosa variety shows a good result in the second cycle relative to the rest of configured height levels. In conclusion planting 20 and 35 cm long tiller had good effect in all physical and quality parameter in the first cycle. Due to small increment of the value of each parameter in the second cycle at 30 and 35 cm long tiller as compare to the first cycle, planting WG-Tejsar-I with 20 cm or WG-Tejsar-II with 35 cm tiller long contribute good palmarosa production. Key words: Cymbopogon martinii, tillers, variety, cutting height, biomass, oil content and essential oil, survival count. DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/14-3-02 Publication date: September 30 th 2024