Effect of Varying Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Growth and Yield of the Medicinal Plant, Alpinia Galanga Willd
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Green Page: Research Article Effect of varying levels of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and yield of the medicinal plant, Alpinia galanga Willd. S Hussain, A Sharma, P K Singh and D K Hore* NBPGR Regional Station, Umroi Road, Umiam, Meghalaya-793 103, India *Correspondent author, E-mail: nbpgrshl@neline Received 31 May 2005; Accepted 18 November 2005 Abstract Jantan et al3 reported that the An experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2000 and 2001 to study the rhizome oil of the plant from Malaysia is response of Alpinia galanga Willd. to nitrogen and phosphorus in upland terraces under mid rich in 1,8-cineole (40.5%). Other altitude conditions of Meghalaya. The results indicated that increasing levels of nitrogen and compounds, present in appreciable phosphorus application significantly increased fresh rhizome yield up to 100 Kg N/ha and 80 Kg amounts in oil are the sesquiterpenoids, P2O5/ha. Thereafter, non significant effects were noticed. Application of 100 Kg N/ha has also resulted in highest oil content (0.37%), which was at par with oil contents observed from the β-bisabolene (8.4%), (Z, E)-farnesol (3.8%), -caryophyllene (3.0%) and (E)- application of 80 Kg P2O5/ha (0.34%) and 120 Kg P2O5/ha (0.36%). The interaction effects were β significant for plant height and fresh rhizome yield, recording highest values at 150 Kg N and 120 β-farnesene (3.2%). The oils possess Kg P O /ha. These values were at par with the values obtained from the application of 100 Kg N/ ha 2 5 compositional differences, suggesting the and 80 Kg P O / ha for these two characters. 2 5 existence of chemical varieties within this Keywords : Medicinal plant, Alpinia galanga, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Interaction effects, species. The oil from Indonesia contains Galangal oil. chiefly monoterpenoids, while the 7 IPC code; Int. cl. — A01G 1/00, A61K 35/78, C11B 9/00 Malaysian oil is characterized by its richness in sesquiterpenoids4, 5. Myrcene Introduction have been used as flavours in native has been reported to be the major dishes and as ingredients in many constituent in the rhizome (94.5%) and Alpinia galanga Willd. traditional medicines to treat various leaves (52.3%) of an Indian variety6. commonly called Greater Galangal (Hindi ailments. It is aromatic, pungent and Systematic cultivation of — Kulanjan) is a rhizomatous herb bitter in taste and is used against number medicinal plants needs specific cultural distributed in various parts of India and of ailments including rheumatism, and management practices and throughout Southeast Asia. It is an stomach and important medicinal plant belonging to bronchial the family Zingiberaceae. It is widely disorders and as cultivated in small garden plots in rather a tonic2. The wet ground in Malaysia, India, Indochina, rhizome yields Indonesia and the Philippines1. In India, an essential the species is found in the tropical forest oil, called edges of southern and northeastern parts Galangal oil of the country. It is cultivated in Kerala which possesses and grown in kitchen garden in some marked places of northeastern region of India, insecticidal particularly in Manipur. The rhizomes properties. Rhizomes of Alpinia galanga 120 Natural Product Radiance Green Page: Research Article agronomical recommendations. These are conditions and located at 25º30′ N specific to the species/genotype and latitude and 91º51′E longitude. The soil depend on soil, water and climatic of the experimental plot was sandy loam conditions. Hence, research and having pH 4.2, organic carbon 2.7 %, low development work has to be done to in available N, P and K (120, 7.6 and 180 formulate appropriate agricultural Kg/ha, respectively). The total rainfall practices including propagation methods, during the cropping season in 2000 was cultivation techniques, harvesting, and 2632 mm and in 2001 it was step-wise quality control of raw materials 2895 mm. up to the processing stage, post harvest FYM and lime @5 tonnes/ha and treatments and storage. Application of Uprooted hill of Alpinia galanga 2 tonnes/ha, respectively were applied to optimum dose of both organic and the experimental field and were inorganic fertilizers being one of the most some pertinent research findings together incorporated into the soil 15 days before important cultural practices needs to be with some related species are reviewed planting. Treatment combinations of four standardized. Among the essential here. nitrogen levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 KgN/ nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus play ha) and four phosphorus levels (0, 40, Materials and Methods an important role in the growth and 80 and 120Kg P2O5/ ha) were arranged in rhizome yield of this crop. The present a 24 Factorial Randomized Block Design investigation was, therefore, undertaken The experiment was conducted (RBD) with three replications. Each plot to study the response of A. galanga to during kharif season of 2000 and 2001 of 3.0m × 2.7m size consisted of nine nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and in upland terraces of the experimental rows, each of 3m length with a spacing of yield. Although, lot of work has been done farm of the National Bureau of Plant 30cm × 30cm, was designed for the on standardization of package of practices Genetic Resources Regional Station, experiment. on other crops, it is almost nil in this Umiam, Meghalaya. The experimental site The rhizomes of about 40-60g potential medicinal plant species. Hence, falls under the mid altitude (1000m) weight were treated with fungicide (Vitavex @ 8g/Kg) and then sown in rows on 8th May in both the years. Full dose of phosphorus as per treatment and a common dose of potash (60 Kg K2O/ha) were applied through SSP and MOP as basal dose. As per treatment half of the nitrogen was applied as basal dose. Remaining half was top-dressed in two equal splits, one at 30 days after sowing and the other at 60 days after sowing. The crop was harvested in the second year i.e., on 27th April of 2001 and 2002. Ten plants from each plot were randomly selected for recording data. Observations were recorded on six characters (Table 1) including yield per plot and oil content. Yield per plot was later on converted into Alpinia galanga crop yield per hectare (tonnes/ha). Vol 5(2) March-April 2006 121 Green Page: Research Article Table 1 : Growth and yield parameters of Alpinia galanga in response to nitrogen and phosphorus doses (Pooled mean over two-year) Treatments Growth parameters Yield parameters Plant height No. of tillers No. of leaves Fresh rhizome Fresh rhizome Oil content (%) Oil yield (cm) per clump per tiller wt./plant (g) yield (tonnes/ ha) (Kg/ha) A) Nitrogen doses (Kg/ ha) N0 76.27 6.42 10.56 200.88 11.62 0.32 37.18 N50 81.41 8.03 12.89 282.66 18.86 0.35 66.01 N100 88.89 8.35 11.87 346.38 23.07 0.37 85.36 N150 93.90 8.87 13.72 350.42 23.63 0.35 82.71 SE (d) ± 5.13 0.74 1.27 6.19 1.10 0.04 11.07 CD 5% 10.47 1.51 2.59 12.64 2.25 0.08 22.61 B) Phosphorus doses (Kg/ ha) P0 81.72 7.18 11.59 244.68 15.30 0.34 52.02 P40 83.71 7.37 11.44 294.63 19.12 0.35 66.92 P80 86.42 9.09 13.08 316.27 21.09 0.34 71.71 P120 88.58 8.03 12.52 324.77 21.67 0.36 78.01 SE (d) ± 5.13 0.74 1.27 6.19 1.10 0.04 5.54 CD 5% NS 1.51 2.59 12.64 2.25 0.08 11.31 NS= Non significant The oil content was determined percent on volume/weight basis. Pooled significant increase in rhizome yield due through hydro-distillation by adopting analysis of two-year data was made as per to increased level of nitrogen up to 100 Clevenger trap method7. The powdered standard procedures8. KgN/ha in ginger. Application of 100 Kg material (80g) was taken in a 250 ml N/ha produced highest rhizome yield in beaker and about 200 ml of water was Results and Discussion ginger in the high rainfall areas where the added to it and stirred well using an soil is acidic and sloppy10. Singh et al 11 electric stirrer for five minutes. The stirred Response to nitrogen also reported that application of 100KgN/ material was immediately transferred to ha gave the maximum growth and yield the distillation flask and water was added Increasing levels of nitrogen of ginger under medium soil fertility to fill up to the half of the volume of the application significantly increased plant condition of Jabalpur. The present flask and mixed well. Glass beads were height, number of tillers per clump and investigation also showed that application added to prevent frothing. The distillation number of leaves per tiller up to 150 KgN/ of 100 KgN/ha resulted in maximum flask was connected to the condenser ha but it was at par with that for 100 Kg percentage of oil content (0.37 %) through the calibrated oil trap. N/ha (Table 1). Similarly, the rhizome coupled with maximum oil yield (85.359 Distillation was carried out over a heating yield significantly increased with the Kg/ha). mantle for a period of two hours. When increased levels of nitrogen application the oil level inside the trap remained up to 150 Kg/ha which was at par with Response to phosphorus constant, the apparatus was cooled to that resulted from the application of 100 room temperature and was allowed to KgN/ha.