Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 6(2), pp. 70-76. February, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2017.066

Full Length Research

Agronomic Characterstics and Essential Oil Yield Of Java Citronella (Cymbopogon Winterianus Jowitt) as Affected by Harvesting Age and Plant Population Density

Zewdinesh Damtew Zigene, Beemnet Mengesha Kassahun and Basazinew Degu

Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center P.O.Box 198, Shashemene, Ethiopia

Corresponding author: E-mail: damtewzewdinesh@gmail.com

Accepted 25 September 2017

A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of population density and harvesting age on agronomic and chemical characteristics of Java Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) at Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia for three years. The experiment consisted of three levels of plant population density and five levels of harvesting age arranged in split plot design with three replications. Population density was assigned to main plot and harvesting age to sub-plot. Data on number of tiller hill^-1, number of leaf hill^-1, fresh leaf weight hill^-1, dry leaf weight hill^-1, fresh biomass yield ha^-1, dry biomass yield ha^-1, essential oil content and essential oil yield ha^-1were collected and analyzed. Population density significantly affected all of the parameters except essential oil content. Harvesting age also exerted a significant influence on all of the studied parameters except on number of tiller hill^-1. Interaction effect of population density and harvesting age was significant on all of the parameters except on dry biomass yield ha^-1, essential oil content and essential oil yield ha^-1. The highest fresh biomass yield ha^-1, dry biomass yield ha^-1 and essential oil yield ha^-1 was recorded at plant population density of 27,778 and for harvests made at every six months after planting.

Key Words: Biomass, citronella, essential oil, Ethiopia, yield.

How to cite this article: Zigene ZD, Kassahun BM, Degu B (2018). Agronomic Characteristics and Essential Oil Yield Of Java Citronella (Cymbopogon Winterianus Jowitt) as Affected by Harvesting Age and Plant Population Density. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(2): 70-76

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