JAVA CITRONELLA 
(Cymbopogon winterianus) 

CROP/USES 
Citronella - a commercial crop on steam distillation yields essential oil containing citronellal, geraniol and hydroxy citronellol and other high value perfumery bases.

PROPAGATION 
It is propagated by splitting the clumps into slips. Planting by vegetative slips at 60 x 60 cm. spacing during April-September. About 25,000 slips are required for planting in one hectare. Irrigation is necessary according to season.

SOIL AND CLIMATE 
Citronella requires moderately humid climate with abundant sun-light and water throughout the year. It is grown in a wide range of soil conditions from sandy loam to sandy soil.

FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS
15 tons of FYM with 50 kg N and P2O5 each per ha as basal dressing. Another 50 kg N/ha as top dressing. N application after harvest. 

HARVESTING & YIELD
First harvest after 90 days of planting. Subsequently 4-5 harvests per year giving around 200 kg/ha citronella oil. Herb yield is about 20 tonnes/hectare/year.

DISTILLATION 
A special distillation still designed and developed by RRL-Jorhat.

TECHNO-ECONOMICS 
Cost of cultivation = Rs 25,000/ha/year.
Net return = Rs 40,000/ha/year.

Package of Agropractices
Technical consultancy, citronella slips.

STATUS OF COMMERCIALIZATION 
More than 70 parties are in commercial cultivation.