CORIANDER
CORIANDER (Coriandrum sativum L.)
Family: Apiaceae
2n : 22
It is an annual herb, mainly cultivated for fruit as well as for the tender green leaves lt is native of the
Mediterranean region. In India, it is grown in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Rajasthan and
Madhya Pradesh. The fruits have a fragrant odor and pleasant aromatic taste. The odour and taste are due
to the essential oil content which varies from 0.1 percent to 1.0 percent in the dry seeds.
The essential oil is used as for flavoring, whole fruit is also used for flavoring pickles, sauces and
confectionary the young plant as well as leaves are used in the preparation of chutney and are also used as
seasonings in curries, soups, sauces and chutneys.
It has medicinal proper ties too. Fruits are said to have carminative, diuretic, tonic, and aphrodisiac
properties,
Botany
Coriander belongs to the family Apiaceae (previously classified under family umbelliferae), It is a
smooth, erect annual herb 30 to 70 cm high, lower leaves are broad with crenately lobed margins,
upper leaves finely cut with lobes, flowers small, white or pink in compound terminal umbels, fruits-
schizocarp, globular, yellow-brown, ribbed, 2 seeds, ripe seeds are aromatic.
Climate and Soil
It is a tropical crop and can be grown throughout the year (except very hot, season i.c. March-May) for
leaf purpose, A dry and cold weather free from frost especially during flowering and fruit setting stage,
favours good grain production. Cloudy weather during flowering and fruiting stage favors pest and
disease incidences. Heavy rain affects the crop. As an irrigated crop, it can be cultivated on almost all types
of soils provided sufficient organic matter is applied.
Varieties: Co-1,2,3,4, Gujarat coriander 1 and 2, rajendra swati, Rcr-41,20,435,436684,446,
Swathi,Sadhna,Sindhu, Hisar Anand, hissar sugandh, hisar surabhi, Azad Dhania, Pant haritima, DWA-3
Field Preparation for arising a rainfed crop the land is ploughed 3 to 4 times following rains and field
[Link] planted immediately to break the clods and to avoid soil moisture For imitated crop the land is
ploughed twice or thrice and beds and channels are formed.
Season: In north and central part of indian and Andhra Pradesh it is mostly grown as a Rabi season crop and hence
sowing is done between middle of October and middle of November. Still late sowing is commended in
places vulnerable for frost damage.
In certain pockets of the above area, late kharif crop is sometimes sown in August-September.
In Tamil Nadu, as an irrigated crop, coriander is raised in June-July and September-October. In the first
season, it matures early before the end of August-September.. In the second season, the crop matures
late with an extended growth phase during January- February. The growth and the yield of second season
crop are found to be better than the first season crop. Under rainfed conditions, it is sown during
September-October, at the onset of North-east monsoon and harvested during January-February. Season
of cultivation: In the North and Central parts of India and Andhra.
Sowing: A seed rate of 10 to 15 kg per hectare is required. Seeds stored for 15 to 30 days record better
and early germination than freshly harvested seeds. Seeds soaked in water for 12 to 24 hours before
sowing also enhance better germination. The seeds are split into two halves by rubbing and treated with
thiram at 2 g per kg of seeds. For irrigated crop, sowing generally done in rows spaced at 30 to 40 cm
apart with 15 cm bed hills, Soil depth should not exceed 3.0 cm. Three to five seeds are sown a hill and
later on thinned to two plants per hill. Under rain fed conditions seeds are broadcast and covered with
country plough. Germination take place in 10 to 15 days.
Irrigation: First irrigation is given 3 days after sowing and thereafter at 10 to 15 days interval depending
upon the soil moisture.
After cultivation: The first hoeing is done in 30 [Link] the plants is also attended simultaneously,
leaving only two plants per hill.
Harvesting
The crop will be ready for harvest in about 90 to 100 days depending upon the varieties and growing season. In
certain varieties 50 percent leaves at 60 days and 75 days may be done which will fetch additional income but without affecting
gain yield. Harvesting is done when the fruits are fully ripe and start changing from green to brown colour.
Delaying of the harvest should be avoided lest shattering during harvest splitting of the fruits in subsequent
processing operations. The plants are pulled out and piled into small stacks in the field to wither for 2 to 3
days. The fruits are then threshed out from the plants by beating with stick rubbing with hands. The produce
is winnowed, cleaned and dried in partial shade. After drying, the produce is stored in gunny bags lined
with paper. The rainfed crop yields on an average 400 to 500 kg/ha and the irrigated crop 600 to 1200
kg/ha.
Off Season Production: During summer months, coriander leaves are in great demand (fetching very
high price) as its production is limited due to the prevailing hot temperature > 35°C). TNAU has developed
a technology in which coriander is sown during March-April in shade nets (50 % shade) which provides as
high as 100–120 kg/200 m2 of leaves as against only 40–50 kg/200 m² under open field.