Fenugreek: Trigonella Foenumgraecum L

Fenugreek
Trigonella foenumgraecum L.
Fenugreek
• English Name:
Fenugreek
• Botanical Name:
Trigonella foenumgraecum L.
• Family:
Fabaceae
• Origin:
Southern Europe and Asia
General Plant Description
• Annual herb
• Fruit is a sickle shaped containing 10-20 hard seeds.
4-6 cm long and 2-3 mm wide.
• Seeds are yellow in color.
• Deep furrow divides the seed into two parts.
• Grows to 40-45 cm high.
• Fenugreek leaves appear jagged and grayish-green in
color, while flowers are white or yellow.
Nutritional Value per 100 g
• Energy 12 cal
• Protein 0.85 g
• Fat 0.24 g
• Fiber 0.9 g
• Calcium 7 mg
• Iron 1.24 mg
• Magnesium 7 mg
• Phosphorus 11 mg
• Potassium 28 mg
Top Ten Producers
• India
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Bangladesh
• Argentina
• Egypt
• France
• Spain
• Turkey
• Morocco
• China
• The largest producer of fenugreek in the world is India.
Climatic Requirement
• Fenugreek grows best in the hot climates
characteristic of India, the Mediterranean, and
North Africa.
• Ideal climatic conditions for fenugreek cultivation
are frost-free, moderately cool climate and clear sky
throughout its growth.
• Though fenugreek plant can tolerate frost during its
active vegetative phase, it becomes vulnerable to
frost damage at the flowering and early grain
formation stages.
Soil
• May be sown on all types of soils. However, fenugreek can be
grown in all types of soils provided that they are rich in
organic matter with good drainage.
• But require heavy soils for heavy yield.
• Moderately fertile, well drained, dry loam soil is needed.
• Land preparation:
• Land should be deeply ploughed for 3-4 times and
give planking for smooth seed bed preparation.
Method of Sowing
• Seed is sown by broadcast method.
• Seed bed is slightly covered for seed coverage.
• May be sown on both side of ridges .
• Seed rate:
• 4-5 kg/acre.
• Sowing Time:
• Plains August-November
• Hills March-End of April
• Spacing:
– Row to Row: 60 cm
– Plant to Plant: 10 cm
– Depth: 5 cm
Irrigation
• 1st Irrigate immediately after sowing and then
weekly.
• Water stress during pod development stage is
detrimental and hence care should be taken to
avoid water stress at pod and seed
development stages.
Fertilizer Requirement
• At the time of field preparation:
 FYM ((farmyard manure) or compost @ 10–15
tons/ha is added to enrich the soil fertility.
 Afterwards, 40 kg N and 40 kg P2O5/ha are drilled in
the soil at the time of sowing.
 If inherent soil fertility is high, the dose of N may be
reduced.
 A soil test may be done to know the inherent fertility
status of the soils.
Weed control
• First hoeing and weeding is
recommended at the time of thinning i.e.
25–30 days after sowing and second
weeding is recommended at 50–60 days
after sowing.
• Herbicides may also be used for weed
control.
Harvesting
• Ideal time for harvesting is when the lower
leaves of the plant start shedding and pods
become yellowish in color.
• Harvesting is done manually by cutting the
plants with sickles.
• Delay in harvesting may lead to shattering of
seeds.
• Time of Harvesting:
– October-February and November-February.
– 5-6 cuttings are taken during season.
Yield
• Its average yield is 1000 kg/ha.
• However, 1500–2000 kg/ha can be obtained
under optimum management conditions.
• Postharvest management:
• The harvested plants are tied in bundles and
allowed to dry in the sunlight for 4–6 days.
• Properly dried plants are then taken for
threshing.
Varieties
• Only one variety is popular names as Kasuri.
• Other varieties are:
• Faisalabad No.1
• Tip top
Health Benefits and Uses
• Grown for dry and fresh leaves for flavoring.
• Culinary preparations.
• Used as a spice.
• Used in confectionery in making curries.
• Used to make plasters reputed equal in virtue to
quinine for fever.
• Mucilaginous material from soaking in water is used
for inflamed stomachs and intestines.
• Decrease Nauseating.
• Gripping effects of purgatives.
• Plant and seed used as fodder in veterinary medicines.
Pests and Diseases
• Generally fenugreek is little subjected to pests and
fungal diseases.
• Fenugreek appears very resistant to attacks by insects
and animal enemies and no serious damage in the
plant.
• It is also characteristic that in stored seeds of
fenugreek more than ten years without any treatment
one did not notice any attack.
• The peculiar smell of the fenugreek plants and seeds
may be a possible factor for their resistance to the
attack of insects and diseases.

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