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COLEUS
(Solenostemon rotundifolius)
It
is also known as Chinese Potato. The crop belongs to
the family Labiatae. It is a herbaceous annual, spreading
or prostrate with succulent stem. The tips of the adventitious
roots modify into small round tubers. Unlike other tuber
crops, this is a transplanted vegetable. The tubers
contain 20-24% starch. Coleus thrives well in tropical
and subtropical regions. The optimum temperature for
growth and development ranges from 25-30 0 C. A well-drained
medium fertile soil with a pH range of 5.5-7.0 is suitable
for its cultivation.
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Variety:
Nidhi
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Season
Plant the cuttings in the main field between July
and October.
Nursery
Raise the nursery approximately one month before planting.
An area of 500 to 600 m2 is sufficient to produce
cuttings required for one ha of main field. Apply
125 to 150 kg FYM in the nursery area. Plant the seed
tubers at a spacing of 15 cm on the ridges taken 30
cm apart. About 170 to 200 kg of tubers is required
to raise the nursery. Take the vine cutting to a length
of 10-15 cm from the top portion after three weeks
from planting.
Preparation of main field
Plough or dig the land to a depth of 15-20 cm and
form ridges at 30 cm apart or raised beds of 60-90
cm width.
Planting
Plant the vine cutting collected from the nursery
on ridges at a spacing of 30 cm or on raised beds
at 30 x 15 cm spacing.
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Broadcast
10 tonnes of FYM and N:P2O5: K2O @ 30:60:50 kg per
hectare and incorporate into the soil at the time
of land preparation. Top dress with N and K2O at the
rate of 30 and 50 kg/ha respectively at 45 days after
planting.
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Give
weeding and earthing up, at 45 days after planting along
with topdressing. Cover a portion of the vine with soil
to promote tuber formation.
To control the root-knot nematode, plough the field
deeply in summer, adopt crop rotation and destroy root
residues and other plant parts by burning.
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Not
Available
Harvest
the crop 5 months after planting. The maturity of the
tuber is indicated by drying of entire plant.
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Not
Available
The yield of tubers ranges from 18-20 tonnes/ha.
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