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Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a crop of Fabaceae family and the leaves of this plant have small obovate to oblong leaflets. Fenugreek is cultivated throughout India in the form of semi-arid crop. The seeds of this plant are used for the purpose of adding flavor to the dishes and it is a very common ingredient.
There are three main uses of fenugreek which are used in the form of dried or fresh leaf in Indian dishes in herb’s form, it is used as fresh leaves, microgreens and sprouts in the form of vegetables and also in the form of spice in seeds. The sweet smell of this crop is due to the presence of Sotolon chemical.
They are of cuboid shape and yellow or amber in color. They are used in preparation of pickles, daals, mixture of spices and vegetable dishes. They can be used both in roasted and powdered form. Fresh leaves of fenugreek are used directly in some dishes. The microgreens and sprouted seeds are used to make fresh salads. The seeds of fenugreek are used to increase lactating milk of mother due to the presence of galactagogue. The presence of palmitoylethanolamide makes it an anti-inflammatory and analgesic compound. It is also found in several medicines and it increases the metabolic rate in both animals and human beings.
Fenugreek Production in India
The Trigonella Foenum-graecum is fenugreek’s botanical name. Methi is its name in Hindi and ‘venthayam’ is its name in Tamil. Commercially, the seeds of fenugreek are cultivated which are used for the purpose of adding flavor to the dishes and cuisines. The largest producer of fenugreek having more than about 80 per cent of the area for the cultivation of fenugreek is Rajasthan.
Fenugreek comes in the category of a Rabi crop. It requires a cool climatic condition at the time of its growth and at the time of maturity, it should be warm and dry humid climate. It is also tolerant to the conditions of frost. The ideal form of soil is the loamy soil or sandy loamy soil but it can be grown in all other types of soils. The only thing required is that the soil should have good drainage characteristic and rich in the organic matter. The pH value of the soil should range from 6 to 7 for better development and growth.
Methods of Growing Fenugreek
Fenugreek is an annually growing herb which grows with a height of 18-24 inches. During the early summers, white flowers are seen and gradually, it develops into long pods which are sickle and narrow shaped. There are about 10-20 seeds in each pod.
It requires 2-7 days for germination and 110 days for maturity. The seeds should be sowed under full sunlight and the seeds are planted 1 to 1.5 inch deep with 6-12 inches of spacing in between the rows of 2-3 inches space in between the plants. The seeds are sowed in loamy or sandy soil under hot and dry climate. The wet soils and the cold temperature reduce the growth of the plant.
When half of the pods have become yellowish-brown in color, the seeds are harvested. Small leaves and young seedlings can also be harvested. The average yield of the crop is about 10-11 q/ha. However, under good management 15- 20 q/ha can also be obtained.
After harvesting, the plants are allowed for drying in bundles under direct sunlight for the period of 4-6 days which are taken for threshing. During threshing, the seeds are being separated from plants which can be done manually and mechanically depending on the availability. Then, the seeds are cleaned using the winnowing fans and graded accordingly.
Major States Producing Fenugreek and Best Season
The major states producing fenugreek in India are Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan. Most of the production of fenugreek takes place in Rajasthan.
The best season of growing is during the months of November to February for vegetative growth and the months of May to June are good for its maturity.
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