Production potential, nitrogen use efficiency and economics of clarysage (Salvia sclarea L.) varieties as influenced by nitrogen levels under different locations

• Clarysage is a high value essential oil crop used in perfumery industry.
• Nitrogen requirement of crop varies in different soil and ecological regions.
• Field experiments were conducted for two years at three north Indian locations.
• Optimum doses of nitrogen were worked out for two varieties at all the locations.

Clarysage (Salvia sclarea L.) is known for its high value essential oil, widely used in perfumery as a source of fragrance with refreshing and long lasting note. Ten treatment combinations consisting of two clarysage varieties (Local and CIM-Chandni) and five nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha−1) were evaluated in factorial randomized block design with three replications at three locations; Lucknow (Sub-tropical plain), Pantnagar (foot hills of Himalayas) and Purara (western Himalayas). Crop matured 9 and 27 days earlier at Lucknow as compared to Pantnagar and Purara, respectively. Flower spike and oil yields were highest at Pantnagar as compared to other locations. In spite of lowest yields at Purara plant synthesized significantly more oil due to lower temperature, longer life span and higher spikes:leaf + stem ratio. Linalyl acetate content in oil was highest at Lucknow followed by Pantnagar and Purara. Variety CIM-Chandni had significantly higher flower spikes, spikes:leaf + stem ratio, oil content and produced higher oil of better quality. Optimum doses of nitrogen were worked out to be 107.6 and 116.5 kg ha−1 at Lucknow, 117.2 and 105.2 kg ha−1 at Pantnagar, 159.8 and 132.6 kg ha−1 for local and CIM-Chandni, respectively.