MSc

Investigations on “ Influence of methods of planting and shade on growth, yield and plumbagin content of ‘Chethikoduveli” (plumbago rosea Linn.)” was conducted at the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 1993-’94.
The study was undertaken with the main objectives of identifying suitable method of planting for better growth, root yield and plumbagin content and to assess the effect of shade on growth, yield and quality of plumbago. The investigation was also aimed at gathering information regarding the suitability of growing plumbago an intercrop in young coconut garden.
A preliminary trial was carried out in order to study the influence of rooting hormone on rooting of plumbago cuttings. Dipping the cuttings in 500 ppm IBA for 30 seconds was found to give a higher survival percentage, higher root number and root length and recorded a lesser time for bud break.
Two sets of experiments. One under full sunlight and another under the natural shade of coconut were laid out. The four planting methods tried were ridge and furrow, flat bed, mound and pit followed by mound.
The morphological characters studied in the present investigations were the height, spread, number of suckers, total number of leaves, leaf area per plant and internodal length. The yield parameters such as number, length, girth and volume of root and fresh and dry weights of shoot and root per plant, shoot : root ratio and chlorophyll content were also studied. The plumbagin content in the root was also studied.
When the two growing conditions were compared, a higher field establishment could be observed under natural shade of coconut. Among the biometric characters studied, shade had a positive influence on internodal length during the entire period of growth. However, the favourable effect of shade on plant height could be observed only during the initial periods of growth.
There was not much variation in the total chlorophyll and ratio of chlorophyll a to b under partial and full sunlight.
There was no significant difference in the root yield under open and shade conditions. But the crops under partial sunlight recorded a higher shoot weight. Eventhough the crude plumbagin was higher under shade condition, there was no marked difference in the purified plumbagin.
The intensity of flowering was found to be high under open condition. The leaf blight incidence, mite damage and nematode attack were also more under open condition.
When different plating methods were considered irrespective of shade and open conditions, the four methods studied viz. ridge and furrow, flat bed, mound and pit followed by mound had no significant influence on biometric character, root yield and plumbagin content.
The study revealed the possibility of successfully cultivating plumbago as an intercrop in young coconut plantation adopting any method of planting such as ridge and furrow, flat bed, mound and pit followed by mound.