FARMER'S NOTEBOOK
Thyme cultivation well suited for hilly areas
M.J.PRABU
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The yield of green leaves is 10-11 tonnes per hectare
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— Photo: TNAU
MARKET PRICE: The herb is sold for Rs.20 per kg of green leaves and Rs.140 per kg of dried leaves.
THYME IS an aromatic herb widely cultivated for its oil called thymol. Thymol has also been used in the manufacture of several traditional medicines for treating cough, colds, in the manufacture of antiseptics and skin toners.
The leaves have a good fragrance and are used as an aromatic material in the preparation of tea, soup, sauce and pickle.
Recently the Horticultural Research Station of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Udhagamandalam has released a new variety of thyme called Udhagamandalam (TV) 1.
Yield data
According to Dr. N. Selvaraj, Professor and Head of the Research Station, the improved variety can yield about 10 tonnes of green leaf per hectare in one year.
The new variety contains 0.7 per cent oil and has good foliage growth. The plants can be easily propagated by stem cuttings of 5 to 10 cm length. About 50,000 cuttings are required for planting in one hectare, according to Prof. Selvaraj
Cow pat pit
Before planting, the cutting should be dipped in about 10 per cent cow pat pit solution for about 20 minutes. It must be then planted in a polythene bag containing a mixture of 1:1:1 soil, biodynamic compost (biodynamic composting is a faster way of making compost. Unlike the traditional way of digging a pit and composting, here the compost is made on the soil surface) and vermicompost.
The cow pat pit (CPP) is prepared by mixing 60kg of cow dung, 200g of eggshell powder and 300g of basalt rock for 30 minutes and filled in pits lined with bricks.
The biodynamic preparations BD 502 - BD 506 are added in 5 holes at the rate of 3 grams/hole. 30 ml of BD 507 (Valerian 5 per cent) is mixed with 2 to 3 litres of water and stirred well both in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions for 10 minutes till a deep vortex is formed.
Half of this preparation is added into the remaining space in the hole and the balance is sprinkled evenly over the entire pit. A wet jute sack is placed over the cow pat pit to maintain moisture.
The CPP will be ready for use in 3-4 months. The cuttings develop a root system and may be transplanted in the main field after 60 days.
"The field should be ploughed into a fine tilth and about 30 tonnes of farm yard manure (FYM), 1.25 tonnes of neem cake, 5 tonnes of biodynamic compost, 5 tonnes of vermicompost and 5kg of biofertilizers such as Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria should be mixed thoroughly in the soil," said Dr. Selvaraj.
Furrow technique
The cuttings are then planted on raised mounds in the field at a spacing of 45 X 45cm in furrow technique.
One month after planting farmers should spray about 3 per cent Panchagavya and Dasagavya at intervals of about 30 days. Vermiwash is sprayed at the rate of 10 per cent five times at intervals of 15 days.
The variety is a perennial crop and can be maintained for about four years. The leaves can be harvested in about 180 days after planting. Harvesting is done three times in a year at an interval of three to four months.
The yield of green leaves is 10-11tonnes per hectare. The variety is resistant to pests and diseases.
There is a wide scope to expand the area of about 1000 hectares of thyme in the hilly regions, according to Prof. Selvaraj. The market rate of thyme is about Rs.20 per kg of green leaves and Rs.140 per kg of dried leaves.
There are about 40 farmers at present in Udhagamandalam and Kodaikanal regions who are cultivating this variety. From one hectare a net profit of Rs.1,20,000 can be obtained even under rain fed conditions.
Huge demand
At present thyme oil is being sold at Rs.3,100 to Rs.3,500 per kg. Buy back facilities are available through contract farming as there is huge demand for this organically cultivated herb from European countries.
For more details about this variety, readers may contact Professor and Head, Horticultural Research Station, Udhagamandalam, email: hrsooty@tnau.co.in, mobile: 94430-52219, phone: 0423-2442170.
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