Response of Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus jowitt) to sulphur fertilization in the semi arid tropical region in India

The essential oil obtained from the herb of Citronella is an industrially important essential oil and a known plant-based insect repellent and bio-pesticide. Improving the economic yield of the aromatic grass citronella is part of the rural development mandate of the institute CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) and this study is a part of the activity. Sulphur (S) is required for realisation of optimum yields from aromatic crops cultivated in semi-arid tropical areas in India. A field experiment involving varying levels of sulphur (0-150 kg/ha) in combination with standard levels of other nutrients was conducted on a red sandy loam soil at the research farm of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Hyderabad, India to identify the optimum level of sulphur required for higher herb and essential oil yield of citronella. Sulphur application resulted in increased herb and essential oil yield of citronella due to better growth of plants (plant height, number of leaves /plant , number of tillers / clump and weight of plant / clump) and the optimum dose of sulphur required is 75 kg/ha.