Underutilized Culantro (Eryngium foetidum L.) under Novel Pro-tray Cultivation System: Effect of Substrates

Culantro is an underutilized herb used for imparting refreshing aroma to the cuisines in tropical regions. The herb has aroma similar to cilantro and its cultivation is getting popular owing to its hardy nature, better shelf life and stronger aroma. In order to promote its cultivation in the urban areas, a new cultivation system in pro-trays has been proposed herein. The present study aimed at exploring the possibility of cultivation of culantro in pro-trays using different substrates. For this, effect of three substrates (coir pith compost, soil + farmyard manure and soil + farmyard manure + coir pith compost) was studied on growth, yield and photosynthetic pigments accumulation. Results revealed significant differences among the treatments studied for mean number of leaves produced per plant, mean leaf length, mean leaf width, plantlet weight and chlorophyll content. The proposed method could be promoted for its cultivation in shaded terraces, balconies and backyards. Both soil + farmyard manure and soil + farmyard manure + coir pith compost substrates were found to support the crop growth in the discussed system of cultivation.