EFFECT OF DIFFERENT WATER APPLICATION METHODS ON GROWTH AND YIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE CINNAMON (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume.)

Abstract

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) is a member of the Lauraceae family, which is a vast family of primarily evergreen woody trees or shrubs with around 53 genera and 2500-3000 species found in tropical and subtropical latitudes. Because of the high and growing demand for cinnamon, it is extending to the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Due to low rainfall in the dry zone, irrigation is required. Among farmers and peelers, it is a known fact that peeling is difficult in dry zone cinnamon as well as in the dry season of wet and intermediate zones. Therefore, irrigation practice may be a key role in increasing the production and the extent of cultivation. This study, therefore, aimed to study the effect of different water application methods on the peeling time and growth arid yield characteristics of true cinnamon and to evaluate the water distribution efficiency of micro irrigation systems installed at the National Cinnamon Research arid Training Center (NCRTC), Palolpitiya, Matara. Three years old bushes of commonly cultivated cinnamon cultivar (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) were used in this study. There were four treatments. Each treatment was repeated four times (20 bushes per replicate) and the experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The irrigation was done by using a sprinkler irrigation system (T1), a drip irrigation system (T2), by using a rubber hose (T3) and one plot was kept as control (no irrigation-T4) to matured cinnamon plants. Irrigation was done at one-week interval for all four treatments except T4 from December 2022 - February 2023 at the rate of 1 L per bush per day. Findings of the study revealed that, with the use of sprinkler irrigation system growth and yield parameters such as number of harvestable stems, bark thickness, stem height, fresh bark weight, and the dry bark weight could be increased. Cinnamon plants grown without irrigation showed an average scraping and peeling time of 58.2 sec and 82.2 sec, respectively. It is the lowest time compared to plants irrigated with different methods of irrigation. However, there is no significant variation (p<0.05) in peeling time among the treatments. During the research period, plants produced tender leaves which in turn increases the peeling time. Although sprinkler irrigation system creates a favorable micro climatic condition, drip irrigation system shows good distribution uniformity than sprinkler irrigation system. Hence, for cinnamon cultivation under irrigation, drip irrigation could be recommended. Further, cultivation of cinnamon could be extended to the dry zone under drip irrigation.