Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha, Asgandh Nagouri, Asgandh, Puniv
Solanaceae
Withania somnifera Dunal
Improved varieties- Jawahar Asgand-20, Jawahar Asgand-134, Raj Vijay shwagandha-100
Kharif season
Being hardy and drought tolerant crop ashwagandha requires relatively dry season throughout its growing period. It is grown as late rainy season (kharif) crop between 600-1200 m altitudes. The semi tropical areas receiving 60-75 cm rainfall are suitable for its cultivation. Temperature between 20 0c to 35 0c is most suitable for its cultivation. Late winter rains are conductive for the proper development of the plant roots.
The soil should be loose , deep and well drained. Ashwagandha grows well in sandy loam or light red soils having pH 7.5 -8.0 balck or heavy soils having good drainage are also suitable for ashwagandha cultivation.
In Ashwagandha roots are the major economic part. Thus land should be prepared in such a way that it should not have any hindrance in the development of roots and get more length and girth for better quality. The land was ploughed once with mould board plough and harrowed twice to bring the soil to fine tilth after receiving premansoon rain. Nourish the soil with plenty of organic matter at the time of land preparation. About 10-20 tones of FYM per hectare should be mixed into the soil at the time of last ploughing. The field is then levelled by planking.
Seeds are deeped 24 hrs in water after 24 hrs remove seeds and dry in shed. Apply 3 gm dithane M-45 on seed.
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Broadcasting with higher seed rates at 20-35 kg/ha is most common method for sowing of ashwagandha in rainfed areas. However line sowing and raised bed sowing are also gaining importance in the recent time. In some areas transplanting is also in practice. The seedling of 25-35 days old can be transplanted in the main field at the recommended spacing.
Ashwagandha is a late kharif season crop. The optimum time for sowing is 2nd to 3rd week of August.
Sowing should be done at right spacing at 30 cm or 15 cm row to row and 10 cm plant to plant spacing in line sowing method. About 500-750 g seeds are sufficient for raising seedlings for one hectare crop.
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A seed rate of 10-12 kg is sufficient for sowing of one hectare crop
The seeds sown by broadcasting or in the line in furrows should be thinned out by hands at 25-30 days after sowing. Weeding should be done when ever necessary. One hand weeding at an early stage is sufficient . Care should be taken during hand weeding that the roots should not be damaged by hoe. Use of chemical herbicides is restricted for weed control in medicinal crops.
Organic manures like FYM, vermicompost , green manure etc. may be used as per requirement of the crop. A fertilizer dose of 15 kg Nitrogen and 25 kg phosphorous along with 10-15 tones organic manure per hectare should be applied to harvested good yield.
Ashwagandha is usually grown as rain fed crop where irrigation facilities are not available.Excessive rainfall or water is harmful for this crop. One or two life saving irrigations can be given if required. Under irrigated conditions the crop can be irrigated once in 15 days depending on soil type.
Use of chemical herbicides is restricted for weed control.
Seedling rot and alternaria leaf blight – give seed treatment before sowing with Carbofuron 2-2.5 kg/ha. Alternaria leaf blight- controlled with the spray of Mancozeb.
Ashwagandha is damaged by insects like aphid and hadda beetle which can be controlled by 2-3 spray of Diamethoate or spray of Azadirachtin at 1% and Flavanoids at 6%.
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Harvesting should be done at the right stage. Ashwagandha plants starts flowering and bearing fruits from December onwards. The crop is ready for harvest in January- March at 150-180 days after sowing. The maturity of crop is judged when leaves start drying and berries become yellow red. Ashwagandha should be harvested in the dry weather and not in rain or in early morning . When there is dew in the ground. Harvesting is done by uprooting the whole plant without damaging the roots.
Threshed material (roots) washed in cold water and then dried . After drying stored in gunny bags.
Average of roots= 6-8 Qtls /ha
Average seed = 50-75 kg seed
Store the produce in a clean and dry room. Pack the produce in clean and dry sack.
Transpost the harvest plant material to the processing site in a clean vehicle and protect from heat and rain during transportation. The processing site should be clean and protected from direct sunlight and rain and have access to water. Use a clean surface preferably a cemented floor or a tarpaulin sheet which is in good condition for laying out the harvested material. Remove weed and other extraneous physical matter. The roots are separated from aerial parts by cutting the stem 1-2 cm above crown roots. The roots are beatern with a club to romove soil. Leaves and berries of ashwagandha are hand plucked and crushed separately to take out the seeds. Pack the produce into clean and dry sack.
Ashwagandha roots, leaves and seeds have medicinal properties and are used in preparation of various drugs. Roots are mainly used for preparation of vital tonics. It is a stress reliever and used in treating senile dys functions. It is used in controlling anxiety, depression, phobias, alcoholic parania, schezophrenia etc.
Dry roots stored in gunny bags or polythene bags.
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
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