Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)
Apiaceae

Fennel Plant

Varieties
CO 1, UF 32, PF 35 and Gujarat Fennel 1.

Co 1

Soil and climate
Well drained loamy soil or black or sandy soil rich in organic matter is suitable for fennel cultivation.

Climate
It comes up well in fairly mild with frost free climate

Season:
Hills: May - June.
Plains: October - November.

Seed rate
For direct sowing:    9 - 12 kg/ha.
For transplanting:    3 - 4 kg/ha – Nursery area 100 sq.m.

Field preparation

• Prepare the main field to a fine tilth.

• Add FYM 10 t/ha before last ploughing.

• Form beds and channels

• Pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i./ha

Spacing
5 - 6 weeks old seedlings are transplanted at 60 x 30 cm spacing.

Thinning
 In direct sown crop thin 4 – 5 weeks old seedlings to 25 – 30 cm spacing.

Irrigation
First irrigation should be given immediately after sowing, second on the third day and subsequent irrigations at 7 - 10 days intervals.

Manuring

Aftercultivation
Two or three weedings are necessary. The plants are earthed up after 3 months. Pre-emergent application of Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i./ha and one hand weeding.

Plant protection
Pests
Aphids
Aphids can be controlled by spraying Dimethoate 30 EC 2 ml/lit or Methyl demeton 25 EC 2 ml/lit.

Powdery mildew
Dust Sulphur at 25 kg/ha or foliar spray with wettable sulphur 2 g/lit at the time of appearance of disease.

Fennel flower

Harvest
The crop matures in 7 - 8 months. Harvest the umbels 4 - 5 times at 10 - 15 days intervals, dry in sun for 4 - 5 days and seeds are threshed.

Fennel Seeds

Yield
About 500 - 750 kg/ha/year can be obtained.