• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

G.K. Nair

Rauvolfia, a medicinal plant also known as Sarpagandhi.

KOCHI, May 16

AS part of the Union Government's programme to develop agro-techniques for commercial cultivation of medicinal plants, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has sent a proposal for developing four medicinal plants in Kerala which are in great demand.

KAU has selected Plumbago indica Linn., Curcuma aromatica, Hydnocarpus laurifolia and Cassia fistula, after consulting with major user industries, Dr J. Thomas, Head of the Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station at nearby Odakkali, told Business Line.

These plants have been included in the list of plants identified for development by the department of Indian System of Medicines (ISM) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Dr Thomas said that these crops had not been allotted to any organisation for development of agro-technology by the department of ISM.

"The three-year project - involving an outlay of Rs 19.56 lakh - envisages developing agro-techniques for the commercial cultivation of these medicinal plants,'' he added.

``These four plants are so important that the ayurvedic medicine manufacturers in South India are concerned about their availability.''

For instance, Plumbago indica is used in more than 30 per cent of ayurvedic drugs included in Kerala's ayurvedic manual called Chikitsa Manjari.

The plant is different in property and use compared to its North Indian counterpart, Plumbago zeylanica.

Curcuma aromatica is valued for its medicinal properties distinct from that of turmeric for its skin care properties.

Hydnocarpus laurifolia is a medicinal oil yielding plant used primarily to treat skin diseases, including leprosy, while Cassia fistula, though popular as an ornamental tree, has much-valued medicinal properties, Dr Thomas said.

He added that the scheme would also provide information on the cultivation of these important medicinal plants.

Variability collected would be established at the farm of the Research Station and the Cardamom Research Station at Pampadumpara in Idukki over an area of five acres, which would serve as a conservation centre as well for germ plasm at the national level.

Besides, top quality planting material could be produced and distributed for large-scale cultivation.

Standardisation of raw drugs would lead to top quality herbal drug production. "The centre could act as a database of these crops so as to promote further research and development."

According to Dr Thomas, about 90 per cent of medicinal plants used by the industry is collected from the wild.

While over 800 species are used in production by the drug manufacturing industry, less than 20 species of plants are under commercial cultivation.

Over 70 per cent of the plant collections involve destructive harvesting because of the use of parts like roots, bark, wood and stem, and the whole plant in case of herbs.

"This poses a definite threat to the genetic stocks and to the diversity of medicinal plants if biodiversity is not used in a sustainable manner," he said.

According to Dr Thomas, medicinal plants could be cultivated as pure crop, inter crop, catch crop, cover crop, border crop and under crop in the farm, plantations and forestry sectors.

Since cultivable land is limited, efforts are needed to push these crops along with the priority crops like food and commercial ones, wherever feasible.

"The goal is to maximise the productivity of medicinal plants per unit resource so as to make them competitive in the international market and to bring good returns to growers," he said.

To achieve the development of high-yielding high-quality types, resistance to major pests and disease as well as development of cropping systems involving spices would be important, he added.

The growers should select the appropriate crop and variety suitable to the locality and follow a set of scientific practices.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section
`New labour policy to aid industry'

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line