New Method to Grow Geranium in India by CSIR-CIMAP Scientists
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of the essential oil from the Geranium plant give the plant a huge medicinal value. The Aroma mission was focused on increasing Geranium production. CSIR-CIMAP Lucknow scientists developed a new affordable method to grow Geranium saplings and distribute the saplings among the farmers.
The project Head at CIMAP, Dr. Saudan Singh, informed that now Geranium could be grown in the farmer’s farm at a cheaper cost just like any other crops using the new protective shed technology of the polyhouse. To date, they were grown in an aerated glasshouse. Around four thousand saplings can be cultivated in one acre by building 50-60 square meter polyhouse, that would cost about 8-10 thousand rupees.
With this new method to grow geranium, scientists expect to cut down the cost of sapling production by 2 rupees per sapling from 35 rupees per sapling. This would help the farmers to decrease the input cost in Geranium cultivation thereby increase their income
A major problem faced by the farmers was the availability of Geranium saplings. The saplings became expensive as the crops get ruined during the rainy season. Under Aroma mission
, scientists have started cultivating Geranium as an alternative for Mentha(another aromatic plant).Geranium is originally from South Africa. In India, it is cultivated in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and North Eastern regions. November is the best time for sowing, and loamy soil is suitable for cultivation. Under the Aroma mission, CSIR-CIMAP provides the mother plants to farmers to promote its farming. 133 farmers in different districts of Uttar Pradesh have been supplied with the plant saplings to grow Geranium in India.
