Cymbopogon citratus - Lemon grass

Description and Uses

Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon grass) is a tropical grass from Polonesia . It is mainly grown for its repellent pesticide crops , which have a long shelf life. The crop is harvested by pruning. It starts flowering after 1 - 5 years. The yield will be 50 kg oil/ha/y, but in its top season there will be a yield of 120 kg oil/ha/y. Other crop types include; oil, ornamental, mulch, repellent pesticide, spice, . The fresh leaf powdered leaf shoot is used as spice . The fresh leaf is used as " insect repellant, malaria prevention, " with citral (65 - 85) as its significant phytochemical. There is lemongrass oil extracted by steam distillation from the grass's fresh leaf yielding 0.2 - 0.4 oil. The grass's wood is called inapplicable and has a density of 400 - 700 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the grass's growing speed is medium, it's energetic value is 4100 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is slow. After 2 years the grass can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Cymbopogon citratus has a lifespan of 10 years.

Environmental limitations

The grass is 1 meters tall with a crown of 1 meters wide. The grass prefers a planting distance of 20 cm and a row distance of 100 cm. It is fast growing and partial shade tolerant. Cymbopogon citratus has a deep root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the Glomus fasciculatum and Glomus mosseae fungi (endo-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen with "any bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s) "not applicable ". The grass's flower-morphology is monoecious and is pollinated by wind. Cymbopogon citratus is evergreen and a bit allelopathic and has no thorns.

Cymbopogon citratus thrives in an altitude of 0 to 900 meters above sea-level (tropical). The minimum temperature is 1°C; optimally between 20 - 30°C. The optimal rainfall is 2100 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 600 - 3000mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 6.0 - 8.0 in a soil texture of sand. To salt it is a bit tolerant to wind a bit tolerant and to fire a bit tolerant.

Pests and Diseases

Cymbopogon citratus is susceptible to the following pests: Sipha flava , Brachycyttara griseus . And it's susceptible to the following diseases: Leaf spot , , .

Seed Propagation

Seeds are epigeous and can be stored for 0 months. There are approximative 0 seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed:

• (1) Store harvested seeds dry at room temperature
• (3) Seeds germinate above ground (epigeous)