The Impact of Irrigation Intervals and NPK/Yeast on the Vegetative Growth Characteristics and Essential Oil Content of Lemongrass

Abstract

The growth and quality of medicinal plants are greatly affected by environmental stress, with over half of the world’s agricultural land facing water shortages. This research was conducted over two seasons in 2018 and 2019 and aimed to investigate the influence of varying irrigation intervals and partial replacement of mineral fertilizers with biofertilizer (yeast) on the growth, yield, and essential oil content of lemongrass. The study also looked at the effect of the partial substitution of NPK fertilizer with yeast on lemongrass’s ability to withstand water deficit stress. The results showed that water deficit and reducing NPK levels led to a decline in growth characteristics and relative leaf greenness, which was accompanied by an increase in proline content and essential oil percentage. These findings suggest that lemongrass is sensitive to drought and requires adequate nitrogen fertilization. However, extending the irrigation intervals led to an improvement in essential oil content. To achieve high essential oil yield and maintain productivity while considering environmental factors, it is recommended to reduce mineral fertilizer to 50–75% NPK combined with biofertilizer, and space irrigation intervals every 10–15 days. Further research is needed to improve the growth of lemongrass in water-deficient conditions, particularly on newly reclaimed soils.

Keywords

• mineral fertilization
• biofertilization
• <i>Cymbopogon citratus</i>
• essential oil
• water stress
• proline