Biomass yield, essential oil yield and quality of geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Her.) as influenced by intercropping with garlic (Allium sativum L.) under subtropical and temperate climate of India

Rose scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Her.), a perennial herb is grown for the production of high value essential oil that finds extensive use in flavouring and fragrance industries. Geranium is propagated through rooted stem cuttings or fresh terminal stem cuttings .at a row spacing of 60 cm. Its initial growth rate is very slow, to utilize the uncovered inter row space and other applied and natural growth resources and to enhance the productivity, attempts were made to work out the optimum row ratio of garlic (Allium sativum L.) intercropped with geranium to get bonus yield of garlic without affecting oil yield of geranium. Field experiments were conducted for two growing seasons (October–June) of 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 under subtropical climate at Lucknow and temperate climate at Purara. Intercropping of two rows of garlic between the two rows of geranium planted at 60 cm row spacing and 30 cm plant spacing produced 1860 and 2400 kg ha−1bonus yield of garlic bulb without any significant reduction in geranium essential oil yield. It resulted in 59 and 60.5% increase in land use efficiency and 29.3 and 81.3% increase in net return over sole geranium at Lucknow and Purara, respectively.

► We report optimum row ratio of garlic intercropped with geranium.
► Intercropping two rows of garlic with geranium planted at 60 cm row spacing gave bonus yield of garlic.
► Intercropping resulted in 59–60.5% higher land use efficiency than sole geranium.
► Intercropping gave 29.3–81.3% higher net return than sole geranium.