Potential of Cymbopogon flexuosus Steud Wats for green capping and economic utilization of coal fly ash dump sites

Present study was conducted to assess the possibility of growing Cymbopogon flexuosus Steud Wats for green capping and economic utilization of fly ash dump sites. In this regard a pot experiment was conducted with ten treatments in three replications i.e. T1 (100% Fly ash), T2 (95% Fly ash + 5% Press mud), T3 (90% Fly ash + 10% Press mud), T4 (85% Fly ash + 15% Press mud), T5 (80% Fly ash + 20% Press mud), T6 (75% Fly ash + 25% Press mud), T7 (70% Fly ash + 30% Press mud), T8 (60% Fly ash + 25% Press mud + 15% Soil), T9 (50% Fly ash + 25% Press mud + 25% Soil), T10 (100% Soil). 100% survival was recorded in each treatment. There was a significant increase in plant height, number of tillers, herbage and oil yield by application of press mud and soil in fly ash. The citral content in different treatments were recorded from 70.14 to 75.55% which was at par the range of citral content reported in essential oil samples from local market and crops grown in normal soil. The experimental results revealed that C. flexuosus can be successfully cultivated on fly ash dump sites. The herbage and oil yield can be increased by the addition of press mud and soil in the fly ash substrate.