Two new varieties of better yielding lemongrass developed

Two new varieties of lemongrass have been developed that are commercially more viable with higher yields and more efficient disease/pest resistance. Lemongrass oil is used for making medicines as well as a mosquito-repellent.

Two new varieties of lemongrass have been developed that are commercially more viable with higher yields and more efficient disease/pest resistance. Lemongrass oil is used for making medicines as well as a mosquito-repellent.

The farmer who developed these varieties Gurpreet Singh from Rudrapur will be awarded the Srishti Samman 2006 by Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad for his innovation. Named Hunar and Sargam after his sons, they have been validated by Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Kerala.

His claims have been done by various national institutes around the country and has a patent pending. “The whole idea was to be able to increase per acre income of my farm. It started with the selection of the ‘right varieties’ oil, which was acceptable to my buyer,” said Singh.

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The main differences between Singh’s varieties and the others being grown in India are as follows —these have a fresh lime, citral-type rosy note, as against a metallic note in other varieties. It yields about 0.7 to 1.1 per cent oil, fresh weight basis, as against the recovery of 0.3 to 0.5per cent of all Indian varieties.

According to him, one of his varieties does not flower, which is a highly desirable trait, since flowering reduces oil yield. All known varieties in India flower. Singh has also set up an on-farm processing unit to use lemongrass grown in his farm.