EFFECT OF WATER DEFICIT ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENT OF LEMONGRASS IN VIVO.

Mazrou, K. E.; Ibrahim, I. A.; Alabsawy, S.A.; Gharib, K.G.

doi:10.21608/mjppf.2018.175648

EFFECT OF WATER DEFICIT ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENT OF LEMONGRASS IN VIVO.

Document Type : original papers

Authors

¹ Dep. of Plant Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Egypt.

² Dep. of Bioinformatics, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research institute, University of Sadat City, Egypt.

10.21608/mjppf.2018.175648

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out on Cymbopogon citratus, during two years of 2015 and 2016 at Al Khtatbah, Sadat Center, Minufiya Governorate, Egypt. The aim of this research work was to study the effect of drip irrigation regimes (24, 12, 8 and 4 liters/plant/week) on yield and essential oil content of lemongrass. All growth and yield characters were significantly affected by the deficit of irrigation water. The plant height, number of tillers, fresh and dry weights / plant, fresh and dry yield per hectare) as well as nutrient content in the dry herb, essential oil percentage and oil yield of lemongrass decreased as affected by water deficit in all cuts of the two experimental seasons. However, the highest irrigation regime (24 liters/plant/week) provided the best results in this respect. On the other hand, the best quality of the essential oil (concentration of citral) was obtained at the lower regime (8 liters /plant/week).

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