Lemongrass Production Guide
There are two species of lemongrass introduced for cultivation — the East Indian Lemongrass or Cymbopogon flexuosus (Steud.) Watss and the Wes Indian Lemongrass or C. citratus Stapf. The term lemongrass was given because of its strong lemon-like odor due to high citral content (75-90 percent) of the essential oil present in the leaves.
Lemongrass oil is one of the most important essential oils produced in the world. The oil is produced because of its high citral content, which is used as a basic raw material to synthesize Bionones which is used to synthesize a number of aromatic useful compounds and Vitamin A. Citral itself is used as a perfume for various grades of soaps and cosmetics.
AGROCLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
Lemongrass requires a warm and humid climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall, ranging from 250 cm to 300 cm, uniformly distributed over the year. The plant is hardy and resistant to drought.