12 Henna - A Potential Crop for Hot Arid and Semi-Arid Region
M.B. Noor mohamed, Shukla, A.K., Keerthika, A., Dipak Kumar Gupta, P.L. Regar, P.K. Roy
Henna or Mehandi (Lawsonia inermis L.) a perennial shrub belongs to family Lythraceae. It is commonly cultivated as a commercial dye crop possess natural dyeing properties and are used for hair dyeing and for staining of palm, feet and other body parts since times immemorial. The plant finds their importance due to presence of orange red dye in its leaves and essential oil in its flower. Oil extracted from leaves and flower called ‘Otto of henna’ which is utilized as perfume (Jaimini et al., 2005). It can grow well in harsh climate of arid and semiarid regions. In India, over 90 percent of the henna production comes from Sojat region of Pali district of Rajasthan and Sojat is only center for its processing and trading in India. In India it occupies about 40,000 ha area out of which 35,000 ha alone is in Pali district (Sojat and adjoining tehsils).
Geographical distribution
It occurs naturally in North Africa mainly in countries of Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Sahara and Yemen. It is naturally occurring in many of these countries along the water courses and semi-arid regions where it can with stand dryness as well as drought. It has been introduced into countries like Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, China, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sudan, Togo and Zanzibar (Suresh Kumar et al., 2005).
Henna or Mehandi (Lawsonia inermis L.) a perennial shrub belongs to family Lythraceae. It is commonly cultivated as a commercial dye crop possess natural dyeing properties and are used for hair dyeing and for staining of palm, feet and other body parts since times immemorial. The plant finds their importance due to presence of orange red dye in its leaves and essential oil in its flower. Oil extracted from leaves and flower called ‘Otto of henna’ which is utilized as perfume (Jaimini et al., 2005). It can grow well in harsh climate of arid and semiarid regions. In India, over 90 percent of the henna production comes from Sojat region of Pali district of Rajasthan and Sojat is only center for its processing and trading in India. In India it occupies about 40,000 ha area out of which 35,000 ha alone is in Pali district (Sojat and adjoining tehsils).
Geographical distribution
It occurs naturally in North Africa mainly in countries of Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Sahara and Yemen. It is naturally occurring in many of these countries along the water courses and semi-arid regions where it can with stand dryness as well as drought. It has been introduced into countries like Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, China, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sudan, Togo and Zanzibar (Suresh Kumar et al., 2005).