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Medicinal and aromatic plants makinghealthy and wealthy

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November-December 2016

Doubling Farmers' Income through Horticulture

 Jitendra Kumar, BB Basak, RS Jat
and Nagaraja Reddy

Medicinal and aromatic plants making

healthy and wealthy
The medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) provide vast opportunity to
strengthen health, food, nutrition, and livelihood security to farm families
and ecological services to the environment. Their potential is especially
immense in the Indian context where traditional \systems of medicine have
been used over the years to address human, animal and plant health.
Globally, the potential is being recognized and it is becoming increasingly
apparent that health for all can be assured only by strengthening traditional
systems of medicine. Commercial importances of MAPs in recent years are
expanding due to diversified usages of herbals in pharmaceutical,
nutraceutical, cosmetic and agro-chemical industries. India's existing
contribution to the present global herbal trade is meager, valuating at US$
150 million annually. The Indian Herbal Export Trade Registered about
137% growth from ~554 crore (2005-06) to ~1,318 crore (2010-11). Of the
global trade of $7,592 million in 2011, the' share of China and India was
around $1,329 million and $790 million, respectively. Besides this, India is
the second largest exporter of, raw medicinal plant material, next to China
and its domestic market for medicinal plants being ~14,000 crore.

I NDIA being one of the biodiversity rich countries with

a rich heritage of traditional medicine has the potential
to be a leading player in this sector. Cultivation of
medicinal and aromatic crops (MACs) is now gradually
becoming an important avenue for additional income
generationfor Indian farmers, particularly those with small
landholdings, Synergy among research and developmental
institutions,farming community and industry has scripted
impressive success stories in mint, basil, chamomile,
artemisia,isabgol, senna, ashwagandha and opium poppy.
Medicinal and aromatic crops with well established
industrial demand in domestic and global herbal trade
represent a potential resource that can ideally fit into
such technology integration efforts.

TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING

PRODUCTIVITY
"collection to cultivation" of MAPs. There are at least 35
Location-Specific Cultivation major medicinal plants that can be cultivated in different
Till today, more than 80% of the plant material used agroclimatic zones of the country and there is an
in pharma and aromatic industries is presently collected established global demand for their raw produce and high-
from non-descriptive, uncharacterized land races from value bioactive principles (Table 1).
forestand other wild resources. More often than not, such The cultivation of MAPs on marginal and degraded
collections are usually made using destructive harvests lands (saline/alkaline/waterlogged and ravines) is a
fromthe wild stands that pose a serious threat to country's highly promising approach for additional income
biodiversity.This is neither sustainable nor acceptable in generation and land quality improvement
a globally competitive scenario. In order to arrest simultaneously. At present about a significant area in
extinctionand rapid decline in biodiversity of MAPs and the country is either left barren or unculturable/
to maintain a sustained supply of quality raw material for culturable waste due to different aberrants like soil
theproduction of herbal formulations, there is a pressing and water erosion and saline soils which can be used
need for a change in the shift of our mind-set from for cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants

November-December 2016 61
 Exploring hedge row agroforestry systems of MAPs

Table 1. Prioritized medicinal plants of different Improved Varieties

environments regions The quality cf herbal products is dependent on quality
of raw material used in the preparation. Several varieties
Tropical Adhatoda vesica, Andrographis paniculata, Aqui/laria
agallocha, Centella asiatica, Dioscorea a/ata, rich in quality and yield have been developed in more
Ocimum basi/icum, Plantago erosa, Withania than 35 MAPs in our country. The high-yielding varieties
somnifera, Vitex negundo, Paedaria foetida, of some MAPs with certain special features of them are
Cryptolepis buchanani, Acorus calamus.
presented (Table 3).
Subtropical Arlemisia maritime, Hydnocarpus kurzii, Lavendula
vera, Litsea cubeba, Mucuna pruriens, Pogostemon
calelin, Zanthoxylum armatum, Curcuma caesia, Alternative Cropping System
Leonotis nepetaefolia. Integration of MAPs in the existing cropping=system
Temperate Coptis teeta, Geranium nepalensis, Panax is most important and promising intervention for
pseudoginseng, Swerlia chirata, Picrorrhiza kurooa, increasing income of small and marginal farmers. South
Satyrium nepalensis, Rubia cordifolia, Taxus baccata,
Orchis latifolia. Asian countries including India have a .tradition of
Alpine Aconitum ferox, A. heterophy/lum, Illicium griffithii, practicing mixed farming system that may include
Berberis spp., Podophy/lum hexandrum, Rheum medicinal and aromatic plants. MAPs have ease of their
emodi, Delphinium subulatum. incorporation in the exiting cropping system due to
availability of a large number of species and choice of
(Table 2). Cultivation of MAPs in marginal and plant types such as tree, shrubs, herbs, vines and their
degraded lands can not only improve the economic suitability to grow in different agro-physical conditions
condition of small and marginal farmers owing to higher offer great opportunities and advantages (Table 4).
price and/or higher volume of their main and
byproducts but also conserve the most important natural MAPs under Agro-Forestry
resources and sustainable utilization of marginal lands. Since many of the MAPs are grown under forest

Table 2. Promising MAPs suitable for cultivation under various environmental stresses and degraded soil
conditions

Environmental Level of stress Suitable MAPs

stress

Moisture stress Moderate Medicinal plants: Chamomi/l arecutita, Catharanthus rose us, Andrographis paniculata, Tagetes
minuta, Arlemisia annua, Withania sommnifera. Aromatic plants: Cymbopogon sp.
Severe Medicinal plants: Aloe vera, Cassia angustifolia, Hyoscyamus muticus, Plantago ovata. Aromatic
plants: Cymbopogon marlinii, C. flexuosus, Vetiveria zizanioides
Salinity stress Moderate Medicinal plants: Chamomi/l arecutita, Plantago ovata. Aromatic plants: Jamarosa,
Catharanthus rose us, Mentha citrata, M. piperita, M. gracilis, Vetiveria zizanioides
Severe Medicinal plants: Hyoscyamus muticus, H. niger. Aromatic plants: Artemisia annua,
Cymbopogon marlini, Cymbopogon flexuosus
Sodicity stress Moderate Medicinal plants: Plantago ovata. Aromatic plants: Tagetes minuta, T. potu la, T. erecta,
Cymbopogon flexuosus
Severe Aromatic plants: Vetiveria zizanioides, Chamomi/l arecutita, Cymbopogon marlin;;, Ocimum
basilicum, O. sanctum ,.'
Degraded lands Gullied /ravines Medicinal plants: Cassia angustifolia. Aromatic plants: Cymbopogon flexuosus, Vetiveria
zizanioides
Surface water logged/ Medicinal plants: Vetiveria zizanioides, Acorus colamus, Bacopa monnieri
marshy land
Salt affected soils Aromatic plants: Cymbopogon flexuasus, C. marlinii, Vetiveria Zizanioides
Mining industrial Medicinal plants: Catharanthus rose us, Chamomi/l arecutita. Aromatic plants: Cymbopogon
wasteland flexuosus, C. marlinii, Vetiveria zizanioides

62 Indian Horticulture
Tahle 3. Improved MAP varieties and their characteristics
MAPs Improved varieties and their distinct features

Plantago ovata {isabgol} Gujarat Isabgol- 1 {high seed yield}; Gujarat Isabgol-2 {high seed yield and moderately resistant to downey
mildew disease}; Haryana Isabgol-S (high seed yield and moderately resistant to downey mildew disease);
Jowchor Isabgol-4 {high seed yield}; Niharika (high seed yield); Vallabh Isabgol- 1 {high seed yield}
Cassia angusfifolia {senna} AlFT -2 {high herbage yield and late flowering}; KKM Se.l {high herbage yield and suitable for rainfed
cultivation}; Sono {high leaf yield and sennoside content}
Withania somnifera Jawahar Asgand-20 {high root yield and Alkaloid content}; Jawahar Asgand-134 {high root yield}; RVA-100
{Ashwagandha} {early maturity and resistant to Alternaria blight}, Posh ita {long roots}; NMITlI-118 {errect plant type ond
high root yield}
Andrographis paniculata AK-l {high biomoss yield}; KI-S {early maturity}; CIM-Megha {bushy plant type}
{kalmegh}
Aloe vera {ghrit kumari} IC-111271 {high aloin content}; IC-111280 (high gel content); CIM-Sheetal {high leaf and sop yielding,
suited to rainfed conditions}
Asparagus racemosus CIM-Shakti {High root biomass and suitable for tropic, I & sub-tropical areas and sandy loom soil}
{shotawar}
Mentha arvensis MAS-l {early maturity}; Gomti (better regeneration after first harvesting); Himalaya (resistant to pests and
{menthol mint} diseases); Cimap Saryu (high herbage yield)
CIM-Krant (tolerant to cold); Kushal {tolerant to leaf spot, rust and powdery mildew}
Kalka (tolerant to leaf spot and rust diseases and early maturity); Kosi {tolerant to leaf spot, rust and •
powdery-mildew diseases}
Mentha piperita Kukrail {high herb and oil yield with superior quality}
(pipermint)
Mentha spicata {Spearmint} Punjab Spearmint- 1 {suitable for temperate and sub tropical region}; MSS-S {toll herb and high oil yield};
Arka {toll herb and high oil yield}; Neerakalka
Artemisia annua Asha, Jeevanraksha, Suraksha; Cim-Arogya {high herbage yield}
{Artemisia}
Vetiveria zizanioides{Khus} Hyb-8 {All India cultivation}; Pusa Hybrid-7; CIMAPKS-2 {late flowering variety}; MS-l {suitable for drought
and marginal land} Sugandha; Gulabi {Suitable for drought/marginal, water loged oreos and alkaline
soils.}; Keshari {Suitable for drought/marginal land} -
Ocimum basilicum GAB-l; CIM Saumya {dwarf and early maturing}; Vikarsudha {toll and High methyl chavicol content};
(Indian basil) Kusmohak {superior oil quality}
Pelargonium graveolens KKll {high oil yield}
{Geranium}
Cymbopogon f/exuosus NlG-84 {high herbage and oil content}; Pragathi {dwarf high oil and citral content}; Nima {toll citral type};
{lemongrass} Cauvery {toll citral type} ;Krishna {North Indian plains and South India}; Sugandhi {Better yield with good
quality oil} CIMAP SUWARNA (Suitable for drought prone areas and marginal lands)
Cymbopogon tnortinii Roshagrass Haryana-49 {high herbage yield and Gerniol content} CI-80-68 {tall and high essential oil
{Palmarosa} content}; Trisha {drought/marginal land and alkaline soils}; CIMAP HARSH {suitable for north indian
plains, south india}
Cymbopogon winterianus Manjusha {suitable for indian gangetic plains}; Mandakini {suitable for gangetic plains specially tarai areas
(Java Citronella) of foot hills}; Manjari {suitable for gangetic plains}Bio-13 {less incidence of yellow leaf syndrome}; CIM
Jeeva (enhance field establishment quality and suitable for gangetic plains).

cover and are shade tolerant, agro-forestry offers a medicinal plants is reported to be quite high in case of
convenient strategy for promoting their cultivation and certain high altitude Himalayan herbs. The success story
conservation. Several approaches are feasible: integrating on cultivation of opium poppy in Rajasthan and Madhya
shade tolerant MAPs as lower strata species in multi- Pradesh, isabgol cultivation in Gujarat, Rajasthan and
strata systems; cultivating short cycle MAPs as intercrops Madhya Pradesh, senna cultivation in Rajasthan, mentha
in existing stands of plantation tree-crops and new forest cultivation in Uttar Pradesh, palmarosa cultivation in
plantations; growing medicinal trees as shade providers, central India, jasmine cultivation in south India and saffron
boundary markers, and on soil conservation structures; cultivation in Kashmir are well known. However, more
interplanting MAPs with food crops; involving them in research is needed for proper planning for cultivation and
social forestry programs; and so on. The growing demand utilization of medicinal plants with modem science and
for MAPs makes them remunerative alternative crops to technological interventions keeping in view their ecological
traditional ones for small holders in the tropics. and aesthetic values. The following science led Hi-
technological interventions are suggested to make the
High-tech Cultivation medicinal and aromatic plants more productive and
Though economic importance of medicinal plants is profitable enterprise.
well known, it is considered as a forestry sub-sector (non- Quality seed and planting material: Planting material
timber forest products) in India. Recognizing and plays an important role inthe production of any crop.
addressing the needs of each of the stakeholders involved Inadequate availability of quality planting material is one
requires a holistic approach for over all development of of the important deterring factors in development of a
the medicinal and aromatic plants sector. Several studies sound MAP industry. Farmers .aD not \iave -access 'to
have clearly brought out the economic potential of certified disease free material as a result of which
medicinal plants in different agroclimatic conditions. The production, productivity and quality of the produce suffers.
potential return to the farmers from cultivation of The seed producer should follow all required practices

~\;)et-December 2016 63
Table 4. Promising medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) suitable for integration in prevailing cropping system

Kharif season crop Rabi season crop Zaid season crop

Ocimum basilicum, O. sanctum, Andrographis Withania somnifera, Papaver somniferum, Mentha arvensis, Pelargonium spp.,
paniculata, Cassia angusfifolia, Abe/moschus Plantago ovata,Chamomi/l arecutita, Aloe vera, Aloe vera, Artemisia annua
moschatus, Withania somnifera Silybum marianum, Lepedium sativum

and parameters for quality seed production. Several desirable characteristics is also assuming lot of importance.
varieties of these crops which can be multiplied through Though the production of MAP requires full care at each
seed chain system and supplied to the farmers, have been stage of production but the post-harvest management,
developed. monitoring the shelf-life and need based value addition is
Nursery management: Nursery management for more crucial and requires full attention. Removal of excess
production of disease and pest free quality planting moisture from the produce through proper methods of sun
material of several vegetatively propagated crops like drying and shade drting is very essential. It is advisable to
bhrami, mentha, lemon grass, palmarosa, jasmine etc are use the solar driers and other mechanical driers as per the
very important. There is also a ready market in nearby requirement of the produce to ensure the required moisture
towns, cities, arogyamelas, other social fairs and religious and colour and to fetch premium prices.
gatherings for medicinal plants due to awareness on use
of household herbal products. Hi-tech nurseries with Marketing and Value Chain
controlled climate can be employed for the production Unfortunately, there is no regulated market to control
and supply of high quality disease free planting material the various marketing practices involved in the entire
of medicinal and aromatic plants. supply chain of MAP. The trade in medicinal plants in
Micropropagation: It is also a grey area where the India is as being extremely complex, secretive, traditional,
highly commercially exploited medicinal plants can be and unregulated. No reliable system of matching trade
multiplied and supplied to the clients. This is highly names to botanical names. In the trade, a species is known
effective technology to maintain a strain containing higher by its local name, which can change from one market to
percentage of principal bioactive compound. another or from one region to another. The industry may
Protected cultivation: Protected cultivation is the future have buy-back arrangements with growers to purchase the
of MAP crops for production of high quality produce for required quantity and quality produce. The MAPs growers
internal and domestic markets. There are different types receive only a small part of price paid by the consumers
of protected structures being adopted for horticultural as lion's share is being taken by chain of middlemen. The
crops based on the agro-climatic region and the availability high profit margin of intermediaries is quite
of different inputs which may be adopted for MAPs. This disproportionate to their services. The R&D organizations
is the challenging area of research and development for should provide the technologies and trainings to the growers
the development of MAP sector under changing climatic at one hand and on another hand assured supply of raw
conditions and market forces. material to the industries with assured buy back at pre-
decided prices. There is a necessity to integrate farm
Harvesting and Post-harvest Management production with national and international markets to enable
The MAP are used as raw materials where different farmers to undertake market driven production plan and
plant parts (root, root bark, stem, stem bark, leaf, flower, adoption of modern marketing practices. Varying models
fruit, seed, and whole plant and the combination of any of of alternative marketing mechanism can be used for effective
the parts) are used as drug and also the extracts and marketing system in medicinal and aromatic plants.
secondary metabolites are used in various formulations. In the present scenario, farming is becoming more
Therefore, the quality of the produce depends on the and more competitive in entrepreneurial mode, to maintain
harvest at particular physiological stage of the plant. This income levels of small farm families across the country,
optimum stage of harvest may differ with special to species. need to become more inventive, diversified, and
to special to species, and place to place depending on remunerative. This needs a virtual transformation of the
prevailing environment. This is the stage where the agriculture and rural economy towards higher value-added
biological yield and chemical content are optimum and production by adding high value medicinal and aromatic
this decides the quality as well profitability of the crop. crops in the system as a whole. Production of medicinal
Therefore, it is essential to harvest the crop at optimum and aromatic plants ensuring quality standards will
stage of harvest. Post-harvest losses occur at each and certainly fulfill the goal of 'Health for all' and household
every step of the supply chain. The losses at the farm level health and livelihood security.
occur due to improper harvesting methods, handling
techniques and aggregation of the produce and then in
For further interaction, please write to:
transportation. At the wholesale level, the major losses Dr Jitendra Kumar (Director), Drs BB Basak and
occur due to rough handling and inappropriate storage. Nagaraja Reddy R (Scientists), Directorate of Medicinal and
Value addition which in simple terms denotes to make Aromatic Plants Research, Boriavi 387310, Anand, Gujarot.
things valuable or important in terms of economic gain, Dr RS Jot (Scientist), Directorate of Rapeseed and Mustard
time and money saving in preparation, quantity and quality Research, Bharatpur 321 303, Rajasthan. "Correspondinq author
improvement or modification of raw ingredients for specific E-mail: jitendrakumar7@yahoo.com

64 Indian Horticulture
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