MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

Cultivation

Soil
Ambrette is a hardy plant and comes up well on a wide range of soils, particularly in sandy loam soils with a pH of 7.0. It also gives a good yield in soils with a pH of 6.0 to 8.6. However, it prefers loose, fertile and well-drained soils.

Climate
The crop is cultivated widely in India up to an elevation of 1000 m under different climatic conditions. It is reported to occur throughout the hotter parts of India. In Karnataka, it can be grown twice a year, once during June-July and again in October-November, as an irrigated crop. Whereas, in the Terai area of Kumaon (Uttarakhand) and in Punjab, the crop is grown during the rainy season.

Propogation
Ambrette is propagated by seeds.

Land preparation and sowing
Before sowing the seeds, the land should be ploughed deep and worked thoroughly to bring it to a fine tilth. The seeds can be sown twice during the year, during the months of June-July and again in September-October. The seeds take about 8-10 days for germination. While sowing, 2-4 seeds may be sown on each hill by dibbling to a depth of 1 cm. Pre-soaking the seeds for 24 hr in water improves the germination. About 6 kg of seeds are sufficient for sowing a one hectare area. A spacing of 60 cm between rows and 30 cm between plants is recommended. The seedlings are thinned 20 days after sowing.

Manures and fertilizers
Well-decomposed FYM is applied to the soil @ 15 t/ha. Since ambrette is a heavy feeder, it also requires chemical fertilizers in large quantities. Fertilizer trials have shown that an application of N at 120 kg, P2O5 at 35 kg and K2O at 40 kg/ha have resulted in the best yields under Bangalore conditions. Of these, a full dose of P and K and 40 kg N are applied as a basal dose, while the remaining 80 kg N is applied in two equal split doses of 40 kg each at 60 days and 120 days after sowing. The fertilizer mixture is applied about 10 cm away from the plants and mixed well into the soil.

Interculture
In the early stages, weeding and hoeing are done twice a month. As the plant grows and spreads its branches, the weeds are naturally suppressed.