Techniques in commercial cultivation, scientific harvesting and preservation of

medicinal plants

Dr. Indira Balachandran

Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal Kerala

Trees as pure crop• Ceasalpinia sappan L. - Chappangam, Pathimukam

• Myristica fragrans Houtt. - Jati

• Emblica officinalis Gaertn. - Nelli

• Gmelina arborea Roxb. - Kumizhu

Shrubs as pure crop

• Plumbago indica L. - Chettikkoduveli

• Adhatoda beddomei Cl. - Chittatalotakam

• Holostemma ada-kodien Schult. - Atapatiyan

• Trichosanthes cucumerina L. - Patolam

• Acorus calamus L. - Vayambu

• Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennel - Brahmi

CULTIVATION

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

Baliospermum solanifolium (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

Wastage during harvesting of H. indicus roots

No. plants in one bundle

Wt. of roots obtained (Kg)

Wastage during harvest (gm)

20 4.800 80

20 5.000 40

20 4.400 60

20 3.200 50

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

Removal of nodal portion

Making holes in the last nodal portion

Tying split bamboos with nylon rope

Filling Bamboo with potting mixture

Painting last internode and making hole in the ground for fixing bamboo

Overall view

Placing seedling on top of bamboo

Harvesting

Special method – Cultivation in long polybagsHolostemma 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-kodienNo. of plants inone mound

Fresh wt. of roots obtained (gm)

Wastage during harvesting (gm)

5 875 15.0

5 600 10.0

5 950 15.1

5 540 13.8

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

Propagation in polythene bags Overall view

Harvesting of root from polybag

Harvesing, Semi-processing & storage Problems in existing practices

HarvestingUnscientific 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

No. Sida plants in a bundle

Fresh weight (Kg)

Wastage

(gm)

100 2.70 0.9

100 2.95 2.1

Wastage in harvesting

Sustainable method

• Use iron crowbar for loosening the soil

• Collection after fruiting season

• Keep small area untouched for natural regeneration

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

No. of roots from 2 yr old plant

Fresh wt. (Kg) Wastage (Kg)

82 3.450 1.8

72 3.000 1.5

Collect only large and stout tuberous roots

Allow further growth of the plant Sustainable method

Wastage in harvesting

Unscientific harvesting of roots from trees

Eg.: Aegle marmelos (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

Plant species Age of the tree (Yrs)

Total raw drug obtained (Kg)

Wastage (Kg)

A. marmelos 14 90.0 20.0

A. marmelos 14 125.0 10.0

O. indicum 14 60.0 9.5

O. indicum 14 61.0 9.0

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

Age of the tree (Yrs) Quantity of bark obtained (Kg) Wastage (Kg)

13 16.0 5.050

15 12.5 5.200

17 28.0 6.250

18 33.0 8.000

Extraction of bark from Holarrhena pubescens

Unscientific method Sustainable method

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 strictum Roxb.

• Make incision on the stem& set fire underneath the tree

• Collect the exuded resin using chopper after a monthAvoid 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

Suggestions: Proper drying, packing and storage in hygienic, well–ventilated go-downs

Plant species Driage (%)

Aegle marmelos 37

Emblica officinalis 65

Holostemma ada-kodien 67

Holarrhena pubescens 67

The required % of driage in various plant species

Other remedial measures: Fumigation, treatment using chemicals and radioactive rays ?

Further research & documentation is required