Beli is valued as a fragrant flower in the bouquets and garlands used at most events, which makes it a cash crop. You too can grow it.
Varieties and propagation
Three types of beli are found: single and highly fragrant; medium and double; and large double.
Beli is propagated by air layering (guti kalam), ground layering (daba kalam) and stem cuttings.
Cultivation and fertiliser
Beli can be grown in all soils except sandy soil and heavy clay. The land should have irrigation and drainage. Plough and harrow it 4-5 times until it is loose and level. Apply organic fertiliser, urea, phosphate and MoP while preparing the land. Plant seedlings about 1 metre apart, then apply urea and irrigate.
Cuttings or seedlings can be prepared from late summer to the end of the monsoon. The spacing between plants and between rows should be 50 cm. Dig pits, expose the soil to the sun, mix it with organic fertiliser and wood ash and refill the pits, then set a beli cutting in each. Planting is best during or towards the end of the monsoon, but with good irrigation cuttings can be made in spring too.
Beli can also be grown in pots, in loam rich in organic matter mixed with suitable amounts of urea, TSP and MoP. Pots can be kept on a veranda or rooftop.
Irrigation, weeding and pruning
The soil should always be moist. Irrigate every 10-12 days in summer and every 15-20 days in winter; in the monsoon, if rain does not come on time, give one or two irrigations depending on the soil.
Weed the field or pots regularly. Spreading chopped straw on the ground reduces the need for irrigation and keeps weeds down.
Beli plants should be pruned every year, in mid-winter, cutting them back to 30 cm above the soil. Apply fertiliser a few days after pruning.
Pests and diseases
Harmful insects are not common on beli, but mites can attack, leaving a white coating on the leaves, which curl and roll up. They can be controlled by spraying sulphur dust or sulphur-based miticides such as Sultaf and Kelthane. A fungal disease that causes yellow speckled spots on leaves can be controlled with Agrosan or Tracel-2.
Yield
The plants flower from February to July. Yield increases every year, and climbing beli yields even more. Usually after 5-6 years the plants are cut down and new seedlings planted.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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