Everything you need to learn about cultivation, harvesting and growth of oilseed crops.
How to Cultivate Sunflower (Suryamukhi, Surajmukhi) ?
The cultivated sunflower is an oil-yielding plant. A large quantity of oil of very good quality can be obtained from a crop of sunflower per unit area and per unit time.
Southern USA and Mexico are believed to be the original home of the cultivated sunflower. Its cultivation as an oilseed crop began in the Soviet Union in the last century. The important sunflower-growing countries are USSR, Argentina, Bulgaria, Rumania, Turkey and South America. As an oilseed crop, it was introduced into India as late as 1969 and, according to rough estimates, 3,88,000 hectares were put under the crop in the country during 1975-76.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) belongs to the family Compositae. It is an erect, hairy, somewhat sparingly branched herbaceous annual. Cultivated types are single-stemmed, the stem terminating in a capitulum. Growth is extremely rapid. Stem found and slender, later becoming thick and angular.
Leaves, at first, opposite and decussate, but, afterwards, alternate. Each leaf is long petiolate, ovate, the lower cordate, acute or acuminate, serrate on the margins, roughly pubescent on both surfaces. Inflorescence capitulum, terminal, varies in size, sometimes attaining a diameter of over 30 cm; receptacle flat or nearly so; ray florets may be neuter and the disc florets bisexual; each floret subtended by a narrow colourless bractlet.
Corolla 5 lobed and forms a tube. Stamens 5 are Ovary inferior, somewhat flattened and angular. Style is slender, divided into 2 branches, ending in elongated triangular stigmatic appendages. Sunflower is protandrous and essentially a cross-pollinated plant. Achene seldom less than 10 mm in length, more or less 4-sided and flattened, with dry brittle pericarp.
Climate:
Sunflower is day-neutral and as such it has a wide range of adaptability. It does equally well in temperate and subtropical climates and also in the tropical belt. A cool climate is necessary for germination of seed and growth of seedlings, whereas a warm weather is good for the plant up to the flowering stage. Sunflower requires clear, sunny days during flowering to maturity. The crop is affected adversely by high humidity, prolonged cloudy weather and rainfall.
Soil:
The crop does well on different types of soils. Deep, neutral and well-drained light soils, as also heavy soils are very good for it. The optimum range of soil pH necessary for the crop is from 6.5 to 8.5.
Cultivation:
Sunflower can be cultivated throughout the year. The land is prepared by 3 or 4 ploughings. After preparation, the soil should be friable and weed-free. In the absence of good rains before sowing, the land should be irrigated so that the soil is moist at a depth of at least 10 cm.
The seed rate adopted is 8 to 10 kg of well-filled seeds per hectare. Brassical or Captan should be used to treat the seeds for the control of seed-borne fungus diseases. Sowing is done by drilling the seeds at a depth of 5 cm; the spacings adopted being 45 cm between rows and 30 cm between plants in a row. The population density should be 30 to 40 thousand plants per hectare under rain-fed conditions and double that number under irrigated conditions.
The intercultural operations required are two hoeing, 15 days and 30 days after sowing. In addition, a slight earthing-up after the first hoeing is good for the crop. Irrigations can increase the yield almost two fold. Generally, 9-10 irrigations are sufficient for light soils and 5-6 for heavy soils. With regard to application of fertilizers, 20 kg of N, 30 kg of P and 20 kg of K per hectare are recommended for the rain-fed crop and double these quantities for the irrigated crop.
Harvesting and Yield:
The crop matures in 90 – 100 days. Time taken to mature is the longest in winter. The harvesting should be done when the lower side of the head turns yellow and some of the bracts dry up. The mature heads are cut with a sickle and dried in the sun. They are then beaten with sticks to separate the seeds. The cleaned, well-dried seeds are stored in gunny bags.
A seed-yield of 300 – 500 kg per hectare is obtained under rain-fed conditions and that of 800 – 1200 kg under irrigated conditions. The seeds contain 40 to 50 percent oil.
Use:
The oil is used for culinary purposes and it can be a substitute for groundnut oil in the preparation of vanaspati. From the point of view of nutrition, it is better than many other cooking media. It contains proteins and vitamins A, D and E. The oil can be safely used by persons suffering from heart-ailments.
It does not adversely affect the cholesterol level of the blood. Being stable and semi-drying, the oil is good for making paint, varnish and soap. The seeds are good as bird and poultry food and the oil cake, which is rich in protein, is an excellent feed for cattle.
Varieties:
The varieties of sunflower grown in India at present are introductions from Russia. They are EC 68413 (Vniimk 8931), EC 68414(Peredovick), EC 68415 (Armavirs- kij), E. C. 69874 (Armaverts), Sunrise, Morden (early), Surya, BSH. 1, KBSH. 1, MSFH. 1, MSFH. 8 and APSH. 11. A short-duration variety, EC 101495 (Cernianka), which matures in 75 days, is becoming popular for inclusion in a multiple-crapping programme.
Diseases and Insect Pests:
The important diseases of sunflower are:
(i) Leaf rust caused by Puccinia helianthi, which can be controlled by spraying 0.1% Dithane M-45 or Dithane Z-78.
(ii) Alternaria leaf spot caused by Alternaria helianthi, which also can be controlled by the same method as in No. (i) above.
(iii) Root rot caused by Rhizoctonia spp. which can be controlled by drenching the soil with Brassical or wet Ceresan.
The important insect pests, which attack the crop, are:
(i) Grasshoper (Atractomorpha crenulata), which can be controlled by dusting with BHC 10% @ 25 kg/ha.
(ii) Capitulum borer (Heliothis armigera), which can be controlled by the same method as in No. (i) above.
How to Cultivate Safflower (Kusum) ?
Safflower is now cultivated primarily for its oil-yielding seeds. Previously it used to be grown in various countries for the extraction of a dye from its flowers. Three centres of origin have been suggested for safflower, namely, India, Afghanistan and Ethiopia. There is, however, some difference of opinion in this respect.
Besides India, the important safflower-growing countries are USA, Mexico, Ethiopia, Spain, USSR and Australia. The area under the crop in India is about 0.87 hectares and the production is roughly about 0.5 million tonnes. Among the states, Maharashtra, Karnataka and AP occupy the first three positions in regard to acreage, Maharashtra accounting for 64 per cent of the total area in India.
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) belongs to the family Compositae. The plant is an annual, highly branched herb, attaining a height varying from 30 cm to 150 cm. Each branch terminates in a flower. The inflorescence is more or less typical of the family. It is broad, flat and densely bristled. The flowers contain 20 to 100 individual florets and are yellow to red in colour. Each floret produces a seed. It is primarily a self-pollinated crop although natural crossing to the extent of 10 to 15 per cent has been reported.
Climate:
Safflower is grown in rabi season and is raised in most cases as a rain-fed crop. Too much of rains and humidity are, however, injurious to it, because they encourage the development of fungal diseases. The crop is resistant to drought.
Soil:
The crop is cultivated on various types of soils, including sandy soil. However, it does best on water-retentive black soils and alluvial loams. It cannot stand water-logging, which reduces the yield of seed considerably. Safflower possesses a high degree of resistance to saline conditions.
Cultivation:
Safflower is raised usually in mixture with wheat, barley, gram and rabi sorghum. It is sometimes grown in border rows in the fields of wheat, rabi sorghum etc. When grown as a pure crop, safflower is rotated with wheat, gram, cotton and rabi sorghum.
One or two ploughings are given for preparing the land. The seed is generally sown in September – October and the seed rate varies from 5 to 12 kg per hectare. Sowing is usually done by means of a seed drill. A pure crop is generally weeded and hoed once or twice on the 20th day and the 45th day after sowing. The yield can be increased much by the application of nitrogen and phosphate at the rate of 20 kg per hectare.
Harvesting and Yield:
Safflower takes 4 or 5 months to mature. After maturity, the plants are cut or pulled out and allowed to dry. Threshing is done by beating with sticks and the material is then winnowed. The average yield of seed of a pure crop is 400 – 500 kg per hectare and that of a mixed crop about 100 kg. The oil content of the seed varies from 24 to 36 per cent.
Use:
The oil is edible and is used for culinary purposes. It has good drying properties and hence it is also used for the manufacture of soap, paints, varnishes and linoleum. The seeds are edible and are eaten after roasting. The oilcake is used as a cattle feed and also as a manure.
Varieties:
The varieties of safflower, which are now under cultivation in different areas of the country, are:
Karnataka — A.I, A. 300, S-144, Bheema
MP — No. 7, Swetha, A.1
Bihar — Sagar Mutyalu, A.1
Maharashtra — N. 62-8, Nag-7, Tara, Bheema, Neera, A. 1
Tamil Nadu — K.I
AP — Manjira, Sagar Mutyalu, A.1
UP — Type 65, HUS-305
Diseases and Insect Pests:
The common diseases of safflower are:
(i) Rust caused by Puccinia carthami, which can be controlled by using resistant varieties, treating seed with Agrosan GN @ 2.5 g/kg of seed and destroying the weed, Carthamus oxyacanthus.
(ii) Alternaria leaf spot caused by Alternaria carthami, which can be avoided by using healthy seed and by using resistant varieties.
(iii) Leaf spot caused by Cercospora carthami, which can be controlled by spraying 0.2% Ziram or Zinab.
The insect pests which attack safflower are:
(i) Safflower aphids (Dactynotus carthami), which can be controlled by spraying 0.03% Phosphamidon, Monocrotophos, Dimethoate or Methyl demeton.
(ii) Thrips (Frankliniella sulphurea), which can be controlled by spraying 0.1% Fenithion, 0.03% Dimethoate and 0.07% Endosulfan.
(iii) Safflower fly (Acanthiophi- lus helianthi), which can be controlled by removing and destroying the infested florets.
(iv) Safflower stem fly (Mexlanagromyza obtusa, M. phaseoli), which can be controlled by removing and destroying the affected stems in the initial stage.
How to Cultivate Sesame (Til, Gingelly) ?
Sesame or sesamum is an important oil-yielding plant and is extensively cultivated in several countries. The continent of Africa is considered to be its primary centre of origin since a large number of wild species are found there.
The important sesame-producing countries are India, China, Sudan, Mexico, Turkey, Burma and Pakistan. India grows about 2.5 million hectares of the crop and produces about 52 thousand tonnes of seed annually and it ranks first among the different countries both in acreage and production. UP, Rajasthan, MP, AP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Orissa are the important states, which have fairly large areas of sesame.
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) belongs to the family, Pedaliaceae. The plant is an annual herb.-Leaves opposite below and alternate above. Flowers are axillary, borne on the upper part of the stem or branches, zygomorphic and solitary or occasionally in groups of two or three together. Pedicel short, the tube bent downwards and dilated above the oblique base.
Calyx is small with 5 sections, Corolla tubular, campanulate and slightly bilabiate with entire upper lip and tripartite lower lip. Stamens are didynamous, 4 functional and often 1 sterile; anthers sagittate. Ovary superior, bilocular, and may be subdivided by false internal walls. Fruit a capsule, erect and oblong; it contains numerous ovate, albuminous and oleaginous seeds. Testa may be white, yellow, reddish brown or black in colour.
Climate:
Sesame is cultivated in the plains and also at altitudes up to 1,200 metres. It is grown in more or less warm climate, in temperatures about 21°C and above. The crop cannot withstand continued drought, heavy rain or frost. It is raised as a kharif crop in north India and as both kharif and rabi in the south.
Soil:
The crop does well in well-drained fertile soils. It is generally grown in sandy loam to heavy black soils. While most of the area under sesame is confined to light soils, it is cultivated in heavy soils in particular regions.
Cultivation:
The crop is grown in India in three seasons, namely, kharif, semi-rabi and summer. The maximum area, about 70 per cent of the total in the country, is put under the kharif crop and the minimum, about 10 percent, under the summer crop, the remaining 20 per cent being put under the semi-rabi crop.
Sesame is grown either alone or in mixture with other crops. While the kharif crops is grown alone and also in the mixture, the other two are grown only as pure crops. When grown in mixtures, sesame is usually mixed with red-gram, sorghum, pearl-millet, cotton, black gram, green gram, etc. in different areas.
Usually, the land is not prepared very thoroughly for the kharif crop, but, in the case of the other two crops, land-preparation has to be quite thorough so as to ensure a clean, fine tilth.
The kharif sesame is sown in June-July and the rabi sesame in October-November. Sowing is usually done by broadcasting the seed although line-sowing is adopted in Maharashtra and Gujarat. In the case of the line-sown crop, the recommended spacing is 25 to 35 cm between rows and 10 to 20 cm within a row.
As the seed is small, it is often mixed with sand in order to ensure even distribution. Deep sowing of seed is to be avoided. The seed-rate adopted varies from 3 to 5 kg per hectare. Pre-sowing treatment of the seed with Captan and Thiram is necessary for the control of seed-borne diseases.
Sesame is generally raised without any manure. However, application of 25-30 kg of N, 20-30 kg of P2O5 and 0 – 20 kg of K2O per hectare is good for the crop. The kharif and semi-rabi crops are grown without irrigation and the summer crop with irrigation. With regard to weeding, one and, sometimes, two are enough for the rain-fed crop, whereas the irrigated crop is weeded often.
Harvesting and Yield:
Harvesting of sesame is undertaken when the stems, leaves and capsules start yellowing. The plants should be cut before they are dead ripe so that shedding of seed does not take place. The cut plants are dried in the sun for a week and are shaken or beaten to enable the seeds to come out of the capsules. The seeds are winnowed and cleaned and then stored properly for future use.
While the average yield of grain of the crop grown pure in kharif is 200 to 500 kg per hectare, the yield of the semi-rabi crop and that of the summer crop, grown under irrigation, varies from 300 to 600 kg per hectare.
Use:
The seed is a rich source of edible oil, the content of which generally varies from 46 to 52 per cent. The oil is used as a cooking medium in southern India. It is also used for anointing the body and for the manufacture of perfumed oils, soaps, cosmetics, etc. Further, the oil has certain medicinal properties. The oil-cake is rich in protein, carbohydrates and certain minerals and is a nutritious feed for milch cattle. The grains may be used in the preparation of certain types of sweetmeats or may be eaten after frying.
Varieties:
The varieties differ in various characters, like growing season, growth habit, time of maturity, number of capsules in the leaf axils, size and colour of seeds and also their oil-content.
Some of the improved varieties, which have been recommended for different states, are:
AP — Gowri (Kharif and rabi), T-85 (kharif).
Bihar — Krishna, B 67
Gujarat— Mrug-1 (kharif), Purva-1 (semi-rabi), Patan-64, Patan-65 (both kharif).
MP — G-5, T-4, G-35, No. 128, No. 32 (all kharif).
Maharashtra — D.7-11-1, N. 58-2, N. 128, T-85 (all kharif), Chanda-8 (semi rabi)
Orissa — Vinayak (kharif and rabi).
Rajasthan — Pratap, Type-13 (both kharif).
Tamil Nadu — TMV-1, TMV-3, KRR-1 (all kharif), TMV-2, KRR-2 (both rabi)
West Bengal — B 67, Krishna
Diseases and Insect Pests:
The important diseases of sesame are:
(i) Stem and root rot caused by Macrophomina phaseoli, which can be controlled by using resistant varieties and practising crop rotation.
(ii) Bacterial leaf spot caused by Pseudomonas sesami, which can be controlled by treating the seed with hot water at 52°C for 10 minutes or by soaking it in a mixed solution of Agrimycin (0.025%) and wettable Ceresan (0.05%) for 6 hours.
(iii) Phyllode caused by Mycoplasma, for which no control measure is yet known.
(iv) Leaf curl caused by virus, for which no control measure is yet known.
(v) Bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas sesami, which can be controlled by adopting the same measures as mentioned in the case of no. (ii) above;
(vi) Leaf spot caused by Cercospora sesami, which can be controlled by treating the seed with hot water before sowing.
The important insect pests which attack sesame are:
(i) Leaf-eating caterpillar (Antigas- tra catalaunalis), which can be controlled by destroying the affected parts of the plants and by dusting 10% BHC or spraying 0.1% BHC + 0.1% DDT (wettable powders).
(ii) Gall-fly (As- phondylia sesami), which can be controlled by removing and destroying galls and dusting 5% BHC.
(iii) Hairy caterpillar (Diacrisia obliqua), which can be controlled by dusting 10% BHC.
(iv) Leaf hopper (Deliocephalus dorsalis), which transmits phyllody disease, can be controlled by cutting and destroying affected plants immediately.
(v) Thrips (Frankliniella schultzei, Thrips florum), which can be controlled by spraying 0.03% Phosphamidon or Dimethoate or 40% Nicotine sulphate (1: 600).
How to Cultivate Linseed (Tishi, Alsi) ?
Linseed has been grown from ancient times, both for its fibre, which is known as flax, and for its seed, which contains a good amount of oil (33 to 47 per cent). In India, it is primarily an oilseed crop.
The plant is grown extensively in both temperate and tropical regions. The major linseed-growing countries are Argentina, USSR, USA, Canada, India, Australia and Pakistan. About 1.6 million hectares are annually put under the crop in India and about 4 lakh tonnes of seed is produced.
Among the different states in India, MP occupies the top-most position, both in acreage and yield. It is followed by UP and Maharashtra. The other states, which grow the crop in large areas, are Bihar and Rajasthan.
Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) belongs to the family Linaceae. The plant is an erect annual herb, which attains a height of 1 to 1.2 m. Leaves small, alternate, simple, linear or lanceolate, with smooth surface; margins entire. Upper part of the stem branched in a corymbose manner and the flowers are borne in cymes on these branches.
Flowers are regular and hermaphrodite, white, blue, violet, purple or pink in colour. Sepals 5 are ovate, ciliate, acuminate and persistent. Petals 5, wedge-shaped, twisted in the bud, united at the base to a hypogynous disc, and they fall easily. Stamens 5; filaments expanded towards the base and fused in the hypogynous disc. Carpels 5, united.
Ovary 5-celled; each locule more or less completely divided into two by a false septa; one ovule in each of the ultimate cells. Styles 5, long, usually free. Stigmas are clavate or capitate. Fruit a somewhat rounded capsule, surrounded by persistent sepals. It has 10 locules, each with 1 seed, light brown in colour, or may be yellow, mottled, greenish yellow or nearly black. Seed shape oval, 4 to 6 mm long and 2 to 3 mm broad, compressed and somewhat pointed at one end.
Climate:
Linseed is grown in India in the rabi season from September – October to February – March. It can be successfully cultivated in moderately cold climate. While it is generally grown in areas of low elevation, it can grow up to an altitude of 770 metres. Areas receiving an annual rainfall ranging from 45-75 cm are best suited for the crop.
Soil:
Linseed can be raised on different kinds of soils, particularly on silt loam, clay loam and silty clays. Sandy and badly drained heavy clay soils are, however, unsuitable for the crop. While in central and Peninsular India, it is found to do well on deep clayey black soils, in Indo-Gangetic plains, good crops are obtained on alluvial loams.
Cultivation:
Mixed cropping with linseed is quite common. In Bihar, it is sown mixed with gram, wheat and mustard. In UP and Bihar and also in south India, linseed generally follows a kharif crop. As a clean, well-pulverized and firm seed bed is required, the land is repeatedly ploughed during the rainy season to retain moisture in the soil and to check weed-growth.
A fine seed-bed like that for wheat is thus obtained. In order to protect the seedlings from the attack of white-ants and cutworms, BHC 10% or Aldrin or Chlordane 5% dust, is mixed with the soil, at the rate of 25-30 kg per hectare, during the last ploughing.
Sowing is usually done in October – November. The seed is either broadcast at the rate of 40 kg per hectare or is drilled in lines, 20 to 30 cm apart. In the latter case, 20 to 30 kg seed per hectare is used. In certain areas, it is broadcast in between rows of aman paddy and taken as paira crop.
Linseed is generally grown without manure or irrigation. However, for obtaining better yields, a fertilizer dose of 30 kg N and 15 kg P per hectare and that of 60 kg N and 30 kg P per hectare are applied under rain-fed and irrigated conditions respectively. In the case of the irrigated crop, nitrogen is applied in two equal split doses, one as basal dose and the other at the time of the first irrigation, 40 to 50 days after sowing of seed.
While no intercultural operation is required by the crop under rain-fed conditions, one weeding is very necessary under irrigated conditions.
Harvesting and Yield:
Linseed is generally harvested when majority of bolls are ripe. The crop starts maturing by mid-February. At maturity, the plants turn golden yellow. Harvesting is done by uprooting the plants or cutting them with a sickle. The plants are allowed to dry in the sun completely and then beaten with sticks or trampled under the feet of bullocks. This enables the seed to come out. Winnowing is then done and the clean seed is stored in a dry place.
The average yield of seed of a rain-fed pure crop varies from 210 to 450 kg per hectare. The yield in northern India is more than that in the central and Peninsular India. Under irrigated conditions, the crop may yield up to 1500 kg of seed per hectare.
The oil content of the seed varies from 37 to 43%. When crushed in ghanis, 25 to 30% of oil is obtained from the seed.
Use:
Linseed is considered to be a very important crop on account of the various uses to which it is put. Its seed yields an excellent drying oil, which is primarily used in paints and varnishes. It is also used in the manufacture of linoleum, oilcloth, waterproof fabrics, and printing ink. etc. The oil cake is used as a cattle feed and also as a manure. A good-quality fibre is obtained from the straw.
Varieties:
Two types of linseed varieties are obtained in India, namely:
(i) Peninsular types with a deep root system.
(ii) Alluvial types with a shallow root system.
The improved varieties recommended for different states are:
Diseases and Insect Pests:
The common diseases of linseed are:
(i) Rust caused by Malampsora lini, which can be controlled by growing resistant varieties, by treating seed with Agrosan GN @ 2 g/kg in hilly tracts, and by spraying Zineb @ 2 g in 1,025 litres of water per hectare.
(ii) Wilt caused by Fusarium lini, which can be controlled by growing resistant varieties, by treating seed with Agrosan GN @ 2 g/kg.
(iii) Alternaria blight caused by Alternaria lini, which can be controlled by treating seed with Agrosan GN @ 2.5 g/kg and by growing late-maturing varieties.
The common insect pests are:
(i) Gall midge (Dasyneura lini), which can be controlled by dusting 10% BHC or 4% Carbaryl.
(ii) Cut worm (Agrotis ipsilon), which can be controlled by dusting 10% BHC on the soil around the plant’s.
(iii) Hairy caterpillars (Euproctis scintillans), which can be controlled by dusting 10% BHC.
(iv) Lucerne caterpillar (Laphyg- ma exigua), which can be controlled by collecting and destroying eggs and larvae and dusting 10% BHC or 0.05% Dichlorvos or Endosulfan.
How to Cultivate Castor (Rehri, Arand) ?
Castor is generally grown for its seed, which yields are commercially important oil. It has been found growing in India for centuries. Its medicinal value has been mentioned in old Sanskrit literature. Although there is some difference of opinion, castor is believed to have originated in Ethiopia.
The main castor-producing countries in the world are India, Brazil, USSR and Argentina. It is also grown in Indonesia, Philippines, Iran, Syria, Italy and a few other countries. Although India has the largest area under the crop, the maximum production is obtained in Brazil. So far as India is concerned, Andhra Pradesh accounts for about 67.2 percent of the total area in the country, followed by Gujarat, Karnataka and Orissa, in that order.
Castor (Ricinus communis L.) belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. The plant is an erect annual, smooth and glabrous, with good branching. Lower internodes are shorter than the upper ones. Leaves alternate, large, palmately lobed, margins notched serrate or indented. Petioles are long and stout.
Inflorescence borne is terminally on the main and lateral branches. Flowers are large, in terminal sub-panicled racemes, unisexual and apetalous. Female flowers occupy the upper portion of the raceme and the male flowers the lower portion. In male flower, sepals connate into 3 – 5 valvate segments; in female flower, the sepals connate in a spathulate caducous calyx.
Numerous stamens present, polyadelphous. Carpels 3 are connate; ovary is 3-celled. Fruit is a roundish and glaucous, 3-loculed, 3-seeded capsule, covered with tough spines or smooth. Seeds are albuminous, anatropous, broad, and oval, with a marked caruncle. Testa is thin and brittle, with different colours and mottling.
Climate:
Castor grows well in regions with relatively dry, warm climate and a well- distributed annual rainfall of 50 to 75 cm. The plant is tolerant to drought and cannot with stand frost. However, there are some annual varieties, which can grow at altitudes of 1200 to 2100 m. Perennial varieties are grown at still higher altitudes. A moderately high temperature of 20° – 26°C and low humidity throughout the growing season enable the crop to give very good yields.
Soil:
Although the crop grows well on all types of soils, it is generally grown on red sandy loams in the Peninsular India and on light alluvial soils in the northern parts of the country. It cannot stand alkalinity of the soil.
Cultivation:
Castor is generally raised as a border crop. Occasionally, it is sown in mixture with sorghum, red gram, chilies, groundnut, cotton, etc. Sowing of castor is usually done in June – July and the crop is raised under rain-fed conditions. In the case of light soils, the land preparation is done by repeated ploughing when the rains are received in summer and harrowing is done as soon as the monsoon starts.
In clay loams, only two to three harrowing are necessary for preparing the land. The seed is sown either by dropping it in a plough-furrow or by hand-dibbling or with the help of a seed-drill. A seed-rate of 12 kg per hectare is generally adopted for sowing in plough furrow and that of 8 – 10 kg in the case of hand-dibbling. The spacing between rows generally vary from 90 – 120 cm and those between plants from 45 – 60 cm.
One or two weeding and hoeing are considered necessary. Sometimes, the plant is earthed up. The recommended dose of fertilizers for the pure crop is 40 kg of N, 40 kg of P2O5 and 20 kg of K2O per hectare. The entire quantity of P2O5 and K2O, along with half the quantity of N is applied as basal dose and another half of N about 30 days after sowing.
Harvesting and Yield:
The improved varieties, which are cultivated now, mature in about 150 to 180 days. Picking of fruit bunches is generally done when they are still green to avoid shattering of seeds. The capsules are collected, dried in the sun and then beaten with sticks to enable the seeds to come out.
Sometimes, the whole crop is gathered and dried in the sun before being beaten with sticks or trampled under the feet of bullocks. Winnowing is then done in the usual manner. Harvesting of unripe fruits adversely affects the oil-content of seeds and hence it is better to collect the capsules as and when they mature.
The average yield of the rain-fed crop varies from 200 to 500 kg of seed per hectare and that of the irrigated crop, from 500 to 800 kg. In the case of mixed crop, the yield is about 100 – 200 kg. The average oil-content of the seeds is 47%, the range being from 35′- 58% in different varieties.
Use:
Castor-oil has various uses. It is an excellent lubricant and is used in high-speed engines and aero planes. It is also used in the manufacture of adhesives, waxes, soaps, printing inks, paints and varnishes, linoleum, perfume, etc. It has medicinal properties and is prescribed as a purgative. The oil is used for lighting purposes as well. The oil cake is good manure and the leaves are fed to eri silkworms. The plant itself is used as a source of pulp for cellulose, cardboards and newsprint.
Varieties:
The varieties differ several in characters, like branching habit, colour of stem and branches, nature of capsules, duration and seed size.
Some of the improved varieties recommended for different states are:
Diseases and Insect Pests:
Some of the common diseases of castor are:
(i) Seedling blight caused by Phytophthora parasitica, which can be controlled by avoiding sowing of the crop in low-lying and water-logged areas.
(ii) Alternaria blight caused by Alternaria ricini, which can be controlled by treating seed with Thiram @ 3 g/kg of seed.
(iii) Leaf spot caused by Cercospora ricinella, which can be controlled by growing resistant varieties and spraying 0.2% Ziram or Zineb.
(iv) Leaf spot caused by Xanthomonas ricini, which can be controlled by using disease-free seed, by hot water treatment of seed (58° – 60°C for 10 minutes) and by using resistant varieties.
(v) Rust caused by Melampsora ricini, which can be controlled by growing resistant varieties.
Some of the common insect pests of castor are:
(i) Castor semiloopers (Achoea janata), which can be controlled by hand-picking of the larvae and by dusting 5% BHC or spraying 0.05% Endosulfan or 0.1% Carbaryl.
(ii) Castor butterfly (Ergolis merione), which can be controlled by dusting 5% BHC or Endosulfan.
(iii) Hairy caterpillars (Euproctis lunata, E. fraterna, Pericallia ricini, Diacrisia obliqua, Amsacta spp.), which can be controlled by dusting 10% BHC.
(iv) Jassid (Empoasca flavescens), which can be controlled by removing and destroying affected parts and by spraying 0.03% Monocrotophos, Dimethoate or Phosphamidon.