Growth Performance of Different Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) Varieties under an Acacia mangium-Based Agroforestry System in the Chhattisgarh Plains

Abstract

This study was conducted in the year 2023-2024 at the Herbal Garden of Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India, to evaluate the growth performance of Acacia mangium trees and different lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) varieties in an agroforestry system. Growth parameters of Acacia mangium trees were assessed, an average height of 19.65 meters, a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 35.85 cm, a crown spread of 8.13 meters, and a tree volume of 2.02 m³. The growth performance of the lemongrass varieties showed significant variability among varieties. T4-Neema recorded the maximum number of tillers (65.53), highest leaf width (2.60 cm), and maximum plant spread (75.52 cm), while T1 Krishna showed the highest plant height (157.20 cm) and leaf length (130.07 cm), while T2 CG-1 showed the maximum leaf area index (40.10). In all treatments, T8-kalam shows the lowest plant height (99.77 cm), number of tillers (31.50), leaf length (87.41 cm), plant spread (47.05 cm), and leaf area index (17.02). The results indicate that genetic selection plays a critical role in optimizing growth performance under agroforestry conditions. Varieties T4-Neema and T7-Praman showed superior growth attributes, while T8-Kalam showed the lowest.