New extension technologies, value addition and utilization of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus L.) essential oil

Abstract

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is a perennial grass that belongs to the family Poaceae. It is cultivated in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka and many other Asian countries for its essential oil. Presently, India is the largest producer of the lemongrass oil due to the combined efforts of CSIR laboratories like CSIR-CIMAP, CSIR-IIIM and CSIR-NEIST under the CSIR Aroma Mission programme. The crop is widely cultivated today in various parts of the country like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Gujarat, Uttrakhand and Jharkhand, etc. The life span of the lemongrass plant is 4-5 years, which can extend up to 6-7 years, depending upon the agronomical practices followed during cultivation. Lemongrass may yield 60 - 100 Kg essential oil per acre of the land annually, helping the farmers to earn a net profit of Rs. 40,000 - Rs. 45,000 from the second year of cultivation onwards. The oil yield and quality depend on the geographic location of cultivation and the crop genotype used. The crop needs low irrigation and is not affected by grazing by wild animals because of the deterrent property of its essential oil present in the leaves. Mostly, the leaves are distilled using hydro-steam distillation for the extraction of essential oil. Other distillation methods can also be applied as per the demand of industries. The oil of lemongrass has diverse uses, especially in fragrance, flavour and pharmaceutical industries. The leaves are used in green tea for reducing toxicity in the blood. This review compiles the existing practices of value addition of lemongrass essential oil through various distillation methods and its uses in various industries.