Abstract

EFFECT OF PRE-SOWING TREATMENT WITH ORGANIC AMENDMENT ON GERMINATION OF VARIETIES OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA (L.) DUNAL

Chaudhary Sheetal Shravankumar* and Soumana Datta

ABSTRACT

Among the various medicinal plants, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, commonly known as Ashwagandha or Indian gingseng, is an important medicinal plant and its use in ayurvedic and unani system of medicine extends back over 3000 to 4000 years. Withania somnifera belongs to Solanaceae family is a small woody shrub or herb that grows usually 30 to 50 cm height. The species is extensively used in pharmaceutical companies and Ayurvedic formulations. Over exploitation of the species is now widespread due to high market demand, due to these reasons appropriate agrotechnology needs to be developed for wider cultivation of the species looking into the growing demand of the plant roots. Proper fertilizer management for a medicinal plant species is also important for increasing its yield and maintaining the quality of active principles. With increasing costs of chemical fertilizers and their hazardous and polluting effect on soil environment, using organic amendments is an alternative method for the improvement of crop production and soil fertility maintenance. In our present study various organic amendments (vermicompost, goat manure) in combination with pre-sowing (soaking) treatment were used to enhance the germination percentage of Withania somnifera varieties.

Keywords: Agrotechnology, Organic amendment, soil pollution, Withania somnifera, Vermicompost.