Novel autotetraploid clone 'cimap-khus 40' of vetiver (vetiveria zizaniodes) useful for carbon sequestration and soil conservation

An autotetraploid clone (somatic chromosome number 4x=40) named “CIMAP-KHUS 40” of Vetiver [Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Roberty;

• Nash. syn. Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.), also called by the name ‘Khus’ in Hindi in India] comprising of the following combination of characters:
• a) infertile seeds,
• b) lax inflorescence with enlarged floret size
• c) deep penetrating interwoven mesh of roots with faster growth by at least 1.3 times and shoot:root length ratio of 1:2
• d) roots/vascular cylinder thicker by at least 15% as compared to existing varieties
• e) root diameter at the base at least 2.3 mm as compared to 2.0 mm in the progenitor diploid, and 1.4 to 2.0 mm in other varieties
• f) capable of producing 1.02 kg. of dry root biomass (of which 43% is the carbon content) from one square meter area with single slips planted at 40 cms×40 cms plant-to-row distance after six months
• g) broad leaf blade with width at leaf base at least 2.6 cms as compared to 2.2 cms in the parent, and 1.35 cms in south Indian varieties and 1.6 to 2.1 cms in north Indian varieties.
• h) thick leaves with midrib thickening measured at three cms above the leaf base measures about 2.2 mm as compared to 1.5 mm in the diploid proginitor, 1.0 mm in south Indian varieties and 1.3 to 1.5 mm in the north Indian varieties.
• i) larger stomata size of both guard cells measuring at least 935 μm2 and having frequency of about 77 stomata/mm2 of abaxial side leaf surface area compared to 491 μm2 with a stomatal frequency of 144 stomata/mm2 in the diploid parent.