Moringa Seeds - Chedi Murungai(Drumstick)

Soil

Come up well in a wide range of soils. A deep sandy loam soil with a pH of 6.5 – 8 is ideal. It puts fourtle luxuriant growth at 25-30°C..

Season

Planting is done during July – October

Seed Rate

500 g/ha of seeds are required. Sow two seeds per pit at a depth of 2.5-3.0 cm. The seeds can also be sown in the poly bags containing pot mixture and transplanted after 35 -40 days of sowing.

Preparatory cultivation

Dig pits of size 45 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm with a spacing of 2.0 - 2.5 m either way. Apply 15 kg of compost or FYM/pit after mixing with top soil.

High density planting and fertigation in moringa PKM 1

High density planting at 1.5 X 1.0 m spacing with two plants/hill and plant population 13,333 / ha along with the application of fertilizer dose of 135: 23 :45 g of NPK/pit (150%) through drip increases the yield of moringa. In this phosphorus should be applied basally as soil application. N and K can be applied in the form of urea and muriate of potash through drip.

After cultivation

Gap filling may be done within a month. Pinch off the seedlings when they are about 75 cm in height to facilitate more branching. Short duration vegetables like Cowpea, Bhendi and Tomato can be grown as intercrop.

For perennial moringa, medium pruning of shoots at 70 cm from the tip has to be followed to regulate flowering and obtain the highest yield of 37 kg/ tree.

Manuring

A fertilizer dose of 45:15:30 g of NPK/pit may be applied 3 months after sowing.  Apply 45 g of N/pit after 6 months when the crop is in bearing.

Irrigation

Irrigate before sowing and on the 3rd day after sowing and subsequently at 10 – 15 days interval according to soil type.

Plant protection

Pests

Moringa pod fly management

Soil application of Thiamethoxam 25 WG @ 200g a.i. / ha on 150, 180 and 210 days after planting; placement of fermented tomato fruit trap @ 25 / ha; and need based foliar spray of Spinosad 45 SC @ 56g a.i. / ha followed by Profenophos 50 EC@ 250g a.i. / ha.

Bud worm, leaf caterpillar and leaf webber: Dust Carbaryl 10 D @ 25 kg/ha or spray Carbaryl 50 WP @ 2 g/l.

Hairy caterpillar

Use flame torch when the caterpillars settle on the tree trunk.

Ratoon crop

Cut back the trees at 90 cm from ground level after the harvest is over. In another 4 – 5 months, plants will again come for harvest. Ratoon crops can be taken for 3 years. Apply the fertilizer dose of 45:15:30 g NPK/plant, within a week after cutting back along with 25 kg of FYM or compost every year.

Harvest and yield

Harvesting starts 4th month after transplanting

50 - 55 tonnes of pods/ha (220 pods/tree/year.)