Family: Apiaceae
Common Name: Coriander, Cilantro, Dhaniya
Season: Late March to early September
Parts used: All parts are used. Especially, fresh leaves and dried seeds
Description:
Coriander is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. The whole plant body is edible but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts traditionally used in and as spices. The leaves of the plant are variable in shape broadly lobed at the base of the plant and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. It survives only one growing season and can reach up to 50 cm in height. At maturity, the plant produces an oval shaped fruit which is yellow-brown in color and contains two seeds.
Uses:
Coriander is a fragrant, antioxidant rich herb that has culinary uses and health benefits. It is a popular spice used since along ago. Some of its medicinal uses are mentioned below:
- Helps to lower the blood sugar level.(1*)
- Rich in immune-boosting antioxidants. (2*)
- Maintains the heart health. (3*)
- Promotes digestion and gut health. (6*)
- Prevents the damage of skin cells and accelerated skin ageing. (7*)
Cultivation:
Coriander is a tropical crop that can be grown throughout the year (except very hot season i.e. March-May) for leaf purpose, but for higher grain yield it has to be grown in specific season. A dry and cold weather free from frost especially during flowering and fruit setting stage favours good grain production. Cloudy weather during flowering and fruiting stage favours pest and disease incidences. Heavy rain affects the crop.
As an irrigated crop, it can be cultivated on almost all types of soils provided sufficient organic matter is applied. Black cotton soils with high retentivity of moisture is best under rainfed conditions.
Land preparation
Land is ploughed 3 to 4 times following rains and field must be planted immediately to break the clods and to avoid soil moisture. For irrigated crop the land is ploughed twice or thrice and beds and channels are formed.
Sowing
Sowing is done between middle of October and middle of November. In the first season, the crop matures late with an extended growth phase during January-February. The growth and the yield rainfed conditions, it is sown during September-October, at the onset of Northeast monsoon and harvested during January-February. A seed rate of 10 to 15 kg per hectare is required.
Seeds stored for 15 to 30 days record better and early germination than freshly harvested seeds. Seeds soaked in water for 12 to 24 hours before sowing also enhances better germination. The seeds are split into two halves by rubbing and generally done in rows spaced at 30 to 40 cm apart with 15 cm between hills. Soil depth should not exceed 3.0 cm. Three to five seeds are sown in seeds are broadcast and covered with country plough. Germination takes place in 10 to 15 days.
Manures and fertilizers
About 10 tonnes of farmyard manure is applied at the time of last preparation. In addition, the NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) fertilizers may be applied.
Irrigation
First irrigation is given 3 days after sowing and thereafter at 10 to 15 days interval depending upon the soil moisture available in the soil.
Plant protection
At the seedling stage coriander is often attacked by the leaf eating caterpillars and semi-loopers and at the flowering stage by the aphids. Spraying the crop with methyl demeton (0.05%) is recommended to control the aphids but a flowering stage the use of any insecticide would kill the bee population affecting pollination in the crop.
Harvesting:
The crop will be ready for harvest in about 90 to 110 days depending upon the varieties and growing season. Harvesting has to be done when the fruits are fully ripe and start changing from green to brown colour. Delaying of the harvest should be avoided lest shattering during harvest and splitting of the fruits in subsequent processing operations. The plants are cut or pulled and poled into small stacks in the field to beating with sticks or rubbing with hands.
The plants are pulled just when the fruits are fully ripe but green and start drying. The plants are dried and thrashed with sticks, winnowed and cleaned. For leaf, pull out the plants when they are 30-40 days old. Drying of Coriander Seeds Fresh coriander seeds should be dried in shade to retain seed color and quality. After drying, seeds are separated by light beating with sticks and winnowing.
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