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Techniques in commercial cultivation, scientific harvesting and preservation of medicinal plants. Dr. Indira Balachandran. Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal Kerala. CULTIVATION. Trees as pure crop Ceasalpinia sappan L. - Chappangam , Pathimukam Myristica fragrans Houtt . - Jati
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Techniques in commercial cultivation, scientific harvesting and preservation of medicinal plants Dr. Indira Balachandran Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal Kerala
CULTIVATION • Trees as pure crop • Ceasalpinia sappanL. - Chappangam, Pathimukam • Myristica fragrans Houtt. - Jati • Emblica officinalisGaertn. - Nelli • Gmelina arborea Roxb. - Kumizhu Shrubs as pure crop • Plumbago indicaL. - Chettikkoduveli • Adhatoda beddomei Cl. - Chittatalotakam • Holostemma ada-kodienSchult. - Atapatiyan • Trichosanthes cucumerinaL.- Patolam • Acorus calamusL. - Vayambu • Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennel - Brahmi
Shrubs as intercrops • Adhatoda beddomei(Vasa – Chittatalotakam) • Parts used – Whole plant • In Coconut plantations and for the first four years in Rubber estates • 5 tender stem cuttings on each mound at an espacement of 2 ft • On hill slopes directly in the soil • Harvesting within 2 – 2½ years • Total expenditure – Rs. 25,000 – 30,000 / acre • Yield from intercrop – 6000 Kg – whole plant from 1 acre • Yield from pure crop – 8000 Kg • Price per Kg. – Rs. 15 • Net Profit – Rs. 65,000 / acre (in intercropping) • Rs. 95,000 / acre (from pure crop)
Shrubs as intercrops • Nilgirianthus ciliatus(Sahachara – Karimkurinji) • Parts used: Root and a part of stem • Propagation by tender stem cuttings – In Rubber and Coconut plantations • Harvesting time – within 2 –3 years • Total expenses – Rs. 22,000 – 25,000 / acre • Yield per acre – 8,000 – 10,000 Kg (root and stem) • Price per Kg. – Rs. 6.50 (Fresh); Rs. 21 (Semi-processed) • (Reduction in weight after drying 50%) • Net Profit – Rs. 30,000 – 40,000 / acre
Shrubs as intercrops • Baliospermumsolanifolium(Danti – Nagadanti) • Part used - Roots • Propagation – Stem cuttings with 3 – 4 nodes • 4 cuttings on each mound having one foot diameter and 20 cm height. • More economical than planting rooted seedlings in pits • Harvesting – within 2 –3 years • Yield – 6000 Kg from 1 acre • Total expenses – Rs. 30,000 / acre • Price - Rs. 18/Kg - Semi-processed (cut into 2" long pieces) fresh roots • Net profit – Rs. 78,000 / acre • The leaves and tender aerial portion can be used as green manure to coconut trees
Shrubs as intercrops • Plumbago indica(Chitraka – Chettikkoduveli) • Part used – Roots • Propagation by tender stem cuttings having 3 nodes • Planted on raised manured beds without much interspace • Alluvial soil with drainage capacity is more suitable • Harvesting – within 1½ - 2 years • Yield – 2 – 2½ tons • Total expenses – Rs. 40,000 – 50,000 / acre • Price per Kg – Rs. 55 • Net profit – Rs. 70,000 – 87,500 / acre • Additional profit can be made by the sale of seedlings of the above four items from 2nd year onwards
Shrubs as intercrops • Clitoria ternatea(Aparajita – Sankhupushpam) • Parts used – Whole plant and roots • Propagation through seeds • Seedlings planted on raised beds at a distance of 20 cm • Bright sunlight is required • Harvesting – within 6 months • Total expenses – Rs. 10,000 – 15,000 / acre • Yield / acre – 2,000 – 2,500 Kg • Price – Rs. 20 / Kg (Whole plant) • Net Profit – Rs. 30,000 – 35,000 / acre
Shrubs as intercrops • Coleus zeylanicus(Valakam – Iruveli) • Parts used – root and stem • Tender stem cuttings are planted on beds at 15–20 cm distance • Harvesting – Within 6 – 9 months • Expenses – Rs. 15,000 / acre • Yield – 1000 Kg (dried and semi processed root and stem) • Price – Rs. 65 – 70 / Kg • Net Profit – Rs. 50,000 / acre
Shrubs as intercrops • Bacopa monnieri(Brahmi) • Part used : Whole plant • Can be cultivated in paddy fields and marshy places using stem cuttings • Expenses – Rs. 50,000 / acre • Yield – 10,000 – 12,000 Kg • Price – Rs. 10 / Kg • Net Profit – 50,000 – 70,000 / acre • 3 harvests possible in a year
Shrubs as intercrops • Pseudarthria viscida(Saliparni – Orila) • Desmodium gangeticum (Prisniparni – Moovila) • Part used - Roots • As a cover crop in Rubber plantations for first 4 years • Planting – Simple broadcasting of seeds in ploughed field • Harvesting – Within 6 months • Expense – Rs. 50,000 / acre • Net Profit – Rs. 30,000 / acre
Special methods of cultivation • Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. • Sans. : Anantamulah, Sariba • Mal.: Nannari, Naruneendi • Propagation through seeds • Usual Practice • Planting of 4 leaved seedlings on raised beds at an espacement of 1 inch. • Harvesting – Too expensive; wastage is high
Special method – Cultivation in Bamboo • Hemidesmus indicus • 2 m long, thick, vertically split bamboo stems • Remove nodal partitions except at basal node & make holes on lowest nodal partition • Rejoin the two bamboo halves using nylon rope • Fill the bamboo stem with potting mixture • 2 or 3 rooted seedlings are planted on the top and the bamboo stems are kept erect in the soil • Harvest the entire roots after two years by separating the bamboo halves • No damage and wastage • Yield – 300 g / bamboo bit
Propagation of Hemidesmus- stages Splitting of Bamboo
Painting last internode and making hole in the ground for fixing bamboo
Special method – Cultivation in long polybags • Holostemma ada-kodien Schult. • Sans. Jeevanthi; Mal. Atapathiyan • Useful parts – Tuberous roots • Propagation – Seeds and roots • Usual practice • Cultivated either on soil beds or on mounds • Harvesting – Too expensive; wastage high • Wastage during harvesting of H. ada-kodien
Special method - Holostemma ada-kodien • Half of the polybags are filled with potting mixture • Keep them in 15 cm deep pits at a distance of 1ft • 2 rooted seedlings are planted in each polybag • Bamboo splits as support to the polybag and to the plant • Organic manuring twice at 6 months interval • Harvest after two years • Roots are extracted by tearing the polybags • No damage and wastage
Propagation in polythene bags using bamboo splits as support
Harvesing, Semi-processing & storage Problems in existing practices • Harvesting • Unscientific harvesting of roots • Roots from shrubs • Eg.: Sida rhombifolia ssp. retusa (Bala – Kurunthotti) • Pseudarthria viscida (Saliparni – Moovila) • Desmodium gangeticum (Prisniparni – Orila) • Collection before seed setting and seed dispersal • Wastage due to simple plucking • Sustainable method • Use iron crowbar for loosening the soil • Collection after fruiting season • Keep small area untouched for natural regeneration • Wastage in harvesting
Collect only large and stout tuberous roots Allow further growth of the plant Sustainable method • Unscientific harvesting of tuberous roots • Eg.: Asparagus racemosus Willd. • The whole bunch of roots is dug out • Large and medium sized roots are taken leaving the small ones as waste • Wastage in harvesting
Unscientific harvesting of roots from trees • Eg.: Aeglemarmelos (L.) Corr. • Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth. ex Kurz • No. of preparations in which used – 77 • The whole tree is cut down to take the roots!!! • Wastage during hervesting • Sustainable method • Collect only the mature side roots - tap root undisturbed • Harvest of leaves 3 times / year, Harvest of fruits once a year
Unscientific extraction of bark • Eg.: Holarrhena pubescens (Buch.-Ham.) Don • By cutting down the entire tree and chopping the main stem and branches • Removing the entire bark from the existing tree • Wastage during harvesting • Sustainable method • Remove only 1/3 of the mature bark • Remove only the outer and the middle bark leaving the inner bark for regeneration • Advantage - Extraction 4 times a year • without killing the tree
Unscientific method Sustainable method Extraction of bark from Holarrhena pubescens
Unscientific collection of fruits • Eg.: Emblica officinalis Gaertn • Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Roxb. • By cutting down the fruit bearing branches • Sustainable method • Collect the fruits alone by hand or with hooks (Precaution against mechanical damage) • Unscientific extraction of black dammer • Canarium strictumRoxb. • Make incision on the stem& set fire underneath the tree • Collect the exuded resin using chopper after a month Avoid fire setting underneath the tree
Collection at improper time • Nature and quantity of chemical constituent • – high seasonal variation • Best time of collection • – Highest content of active principles in plant parts • – Maximum quantity on drying • Eg.: Acacia catechu (Heart wood) – November–January • Acorus calamus (Rhizome) – May–July • Terminalia arjuna (Bark) – February–April
Semi-processing • Small pieces get wasted while slicing (Roots& heart wood) and wastage will increase when slicing is done after drying (Tuberous roots) • Fungal attack due to improper drying methods (Fruits, bark, whole plant etc.) • Suggestion • Keep the semi-processing yard clean • Dry the raw material up to desired moisture content • Eg.Gooseberry fruits: dry till fruits attain 65% loss in weight • Holarrhena bark - dry till bark attain 67% loss in weight • Oroxylum root chips - dry till attain 54% loss in weight • Slice the raw material just after harvesting and washing
Problems in storage • Fungal attack due to insufficient drying • Rodent attack and contamination by excreta • Attack of insects • Decaying due to storage in unhygienic condition The required % of driage in various plant species Suggestions: Proper drying, packing and storage in hygienic, well–ventilated go-downs Other remedial measures: Fumigation, treatment using chemicals and radioactive rays ? Further research & documentation is required