Response of Ocimum tenuiflorum variety  CIM–AYU to sulphur fertilization in the  semi arid tropical region of Deccan  plateau in India

Pandu Sastry; Kakaraparthi; Dharmendra K. Rajput; Niranjan K. Arigarui

Volume : II, Issue : X, October - 2013

Response of Ocimum tenuiflorum variety CIM–AYU to sulphur fertilization in the semi arid tropical region of Deccan plateau in India

Pandu Sastry, Kakaraparthi, Dharmendra K. Rajput, Niranjan K. Arigarui

Abstract :

The essential oil obtained from the herb of Ocimum tenuiflorum is one of the industrially important essential oils, these essential oils are composed of aroma compounds such as eugenol, methyl eugenol, citral, linalool, geraniol and thymol. These are used as raw materials for the pharmaceutical, comestics and food industries. These essential oils exhibit biological activities such as antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant and analgesic activities. Sulphur (S) is required for realisation of optimum yields from aromatic crops cultivated in semi–arid tropical areas in India. A field experiment involving varying levels of sulphur (0–150 kg/ha) in combination with standard levels of other nutrients was conducted on a red sandy loam soil at the research farm of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Hyderabad, India to identify the optimum level of sulphur required for higher herb and essential oil yield of Ocimum tenuiflorum variety CIM–AYU.Sulphur application resulted in increased herb and essential oil yield of Ocimum tenuiflorum variety CIM–AYU due to better growth of plants (plant height, number of leaves /plant and dry weight of plant) and the optimum dose of sulphur required is 50 kg/ha. The chemical composition of the essential oil analysed at different stages indicated that eugenol is the major constituent of the essential oil followed by carophyllene and β–elemene.