Matricaria chamomilla Linn.-a Remunerative Crop for Saline-alkali-soils

Matricaria chamomilla Linn popularly known as German or Hungarian Chamomile, is an important drug plant, flowers of which yield 'blue oil' having anti-phlogistic properties. It is also used against stomach ailments, and as a flavouring agent in fine liquors and in perfumes. Seeds were introduced from Jammu in 1965 and multiplied at Research Station, Banthra of National Botanic Gardens, Lucknow, with ultimate object of economic utilisation. Of substandard saline-alkali soils. Encouraging preliminary observations led us to work out details or its agronomic requirements in the alluvial plains of U.P. Cultural aud manurial trials indicated that the crop is well suited for cultivation on the saline-alkali soils and the plants thrived even where the efflorescence of salts appeared. 6-8 weeks old seedlings closely spaced at 30 × 30 cm gave the highest yield, The optimum time of plantiug lies between last week of November and first week of December. The crop responded well to fertilisation and the optimum dose of N and P lies between 50-60 kg N/ha and 50 kg P₂0₅/ha. Yield of fresh flowers as high as 45 q per hectare was recorded. A net income per hectare of Rs 1,500/- and Rs, 5,600/- can he obtained from the sale of flowers and oil respectively.