MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

Harvesting and processing

• Glory lily is a crop of 180 days duration.
  
• When planted in June, it starts bearing flowers after 55 days and continues to flower and fruit till October.
  
• The fruit requires about 105-110 days from the set to reach maturity.
  
• The right stage of harvest is when the capsule starts turning light green from dark green and the skin of the fruit shows a shrunken appearance and becomes light in weight.
  
• At this stage when pressed the pod gives a crinkling sound.
  
• After picking, the capsules should be kept in the shade for 7 to 10 days to facilitate the capsule to open up displaying deep orange yellow coloured seeds.
  
• The seeds and pericarp are separated manually and dried for a week in the shade, by spreading them over any clean dry floor or any platform specially erected for the purpose. At the later stages, the seeds are dried under sun.
  
• The dried seeds are then packed in moisture- proof containers and stored until they are marketed.

Yield

• The yield of seeds differs greatly, depending upon the size of the tubers used for planting and age of the tubers.
  
• The average yield is 500 kg dry seed /ha. The seed yield gradually decreases in the third year and thereof.
  
• Under drip and fertigation system, the seed yield is 1000 kg/ha.