Effect of spacing on the performance of Rosemary (<i>Rosmarinus</i> <i>officinalis </i>Linn.) blue flowered genotype (NIC-23416) in mid hills of Uttarakhand under rainfed conditions

Abstract

The present study was conducted under rainfed field conditions at Bhowali, Uttarakhand. Rosemary (<b><i>Rosmarinus officinalis </i></b><b>Linn.</b>) was planted at three spacings, viz. 30×20cm, 40×30cm and 60×30cm between row to row. The results indicated that widest spacing of 60×30cm was the most favourable for plant height, plant spread, number of branches, stem diameter and herbage yield per plant in first year, whereas 40×30cm spacing was the best for these traits except herbage yield per plant in second year. But, spacing of 20 ×30 cm was the best for herbage and essential oil yield per hectare. On the basis of analysis of essential oil at 12 and 14 months after planting it was concluded that optimum harvesting time of the crop lies in between these periods.