Development of Suitable Agronomic Practices for Important Medicinal Plants under Irrigated and Rainfed Conditions in Rajasthan

Abstract

A trial for development of suitable agronomic practices was laid down in split plot design (SPD) under irrigation and rainfed conditions of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It was conducted in optimum spacing with four levels of irrigation (0, 10, 20 and 30 days) and four levels of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) with five important medicinal plants viz. Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Guarpatha), Asparagus racemosus Willd. (Satavari), Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. (Sadabahar), Ocimum sanctum (L.) (Tulsi) and Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha). Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Guarpatha) showed best growth at 40 x 40 cm spacing under irrigated condition (20 days interval) with application of 2 kg of FYM/m². A. racemosus showed best growth at 50 cm x 50 cm spacing with the application of 10 days intervals irrigation schedule but FYM showed non significant effect over the biomass production. C. roseus, O. sanctum and W. somnifera had shown significantly higher growth at 50 cm x 50 cm spacing under irrigation at 10-days interval and application of FYM @ 2 kg of FYM/m²