The genus Cinnamomum

68 P.N. Ravindran et al.
ODC-67) as the most promising. The best accession (ODC-130) had given 18.34 kg
fresh leaf per tree per year, 294.7 ml leaf oil per tree per year, an oil recovery of 1.6%
(fresh weight basis –3.73% on dry weight basis) and a eugenol content of 93.7% in
the oil. The eugenol yield per tree per year was 275.1 ml. This line was released
under the name Sugandhani, exclusively for leaf oil production purpose.
Variability and association
Joy et al. (1998) investigated the genetic variability among 234 accessions of cinnamon,
maintained at the Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station (Odakkali). Based
on quality and yield parameters 50 superior genotypes (trees) were selected and evaluated
further. The extent of variability for various characteristics can be understood from
Tables 2.12 and 2.13. The large variability existing in the germplasm can be further
exploited for developing superior genotypes. Among the cinnamon population investigated,
14% had deep purple flushes, 72% medium coloured flushes, and 14% light
coloured or green flushes. Leaves were small to medium in 46%, medium to large in
22%, and small to large in 32%. Tree canopy was compact in 64%, semicompact
in 24%, loose in 12%; canopy shape was spherical in 82%, semispherical in 12%, and
linear in 6%. In a study of 239 cinnamon plants, Krishnamoorthy et al. (1988) and
Gopalam (1997) reported that about 55% of trees had green flushes while in the rest
the flushes had various degrees of purple colouration (such as purple dominated with
green, green dominated with purple, deep purple, etc.). These workers also noted a
Table 2.12 Growth and yield parameters of the cinnamon accessions
Parameter Range Mean SE CV (%)
Plant height 108.2–373.7 254.4 3.312 19.92
cm
Canopy spread 78.8–311.3 194.5 3.055 24.03
cm
Purple colour 1.5–8.5 4.37 0.087 30.48
0–9 score
Fresh leaf yield 0.425–18.335 7.587 0.268 54.06
kg/tree/yr.
Dry leaf yield 1.28–7.88 4.77 0.224 33.21
kg/tree/yr.
Leaf oil yield 36.45–294.69 154.12 7.90 36.23
ml/tree/yr.
Oil recovery %, 0.95–1.84 1.40 0.030 15.42
FWB
Oil recovery %, 2.20–4.29 3.24 0.071 15.46
DWB
Eugenol yield 80.53–95.03 90.29 0.411 3.22
ml/tree/yr.
Eugenol yield 31.75–275.11 138.53 7.107 36.27
ml/tree/yr.
Yield index 37.25–91.00 63.22 1.543 17.26
%
Source: Joy et al., 1998.