Madras Agric. J., 97 (7-9): 212-215, September 2010

Influence of Spacing and Fertilizer Levels on Growth and Dry Matter Production in Ashwagandha V.S. Kubsad, Y. B. Palled, C.P. Mansur and S.C. Alagundagi Department of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad-580 005, Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Annigeri (Karnataka), during rabi seasons of 2004-05 and 2005-06 to study the growth and dry matter production in ashwagandha as influenced by spacings and fertilizer levels. The results indicated that the leaf area, dry matter production in roots and dry matter production/plant increased significantly with wider spacings. The dry root yield and biological yield decreased significantly from closer spacing of 15 cm x 10 cm to wider spacing of 45 cm x 10 cm. Though dry matter production/plant in roots was significantly lower at closer spacing of 15 cm x 10 cm, the dry root yield/ha was significantly higher due to more number of plants/unit area, higher root length and harvest index. Linear increase in plant height, primary branches/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf area, root length, dry matter production/plant, dry matter production in roots and dry root yield was observed with increase in fertilizer levels from control to 24:48 kg N:P2O5/ha. Key words : Leaf area, root length, dry matter, spacings, fertilizer levels, ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal) is one of the important medicinal plants, used in the traditional Indian medicine since ancient times. In Ayurveda, the roots of ashwagandha are known to possess health maintenance and restoration properties. Dried roots of ashwagandha are the economic parts of the plant, which contain 0.4 to 1.2% of total withanolides. These withanolides are used in the preparation of different medicines for treating human ailments (Gupta et al., 1996). It is cultivated over an area of 10,780 ha with a production of 8,429 tones in India. While its annual demand increased from 7,028 tones(2001-02) to 9,127 tones (2004-05) necessitating the increase in its cultivation and higher production (Tripathi et al., 1996). Optimum plant population utilizes available moisture and nutrients from the soil more effectively and leads to better dry matter production and accumulation which reflects in crop yield. The performance of a genotype depends largely on the development of morphological characters for contributing towards growth and yield of the crop. The economic yields are the results of leaf area production and dry matter accumulation pattern in the plant. Yield is the manifestation of various physiological processes occurring in the plants and these are usually modified by agronomic practices. Among them, spacing (Manish Agarwal et al., 2004) and fertilizers ( Patel et al., 2004) are the most important factors affecting the dry matter production and root *Corresponding author :

yield of ashwagandha. Since the research information on these aspects is quite meager, it was felt necessary to study the Influence of spacings and fertilizer levels on growth and dry matter production in ashwagandha Materials and Methods A filed experiment was conducted during rabi seasons of 2004-05 and 2005-06 at Agricultural Research Station, Annigeri (Karnataka) under rainfed conditions. The soil of the experimental site was vertisols with pH of 8.1, low in available N (231.6 kg/ ha), medium in available P (22.7 kg/ha) and high in K (468.1 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in RBD (factorial) design with 3 replications. There were 16 treatment combinations comprised of 4 spacings (15 cm x 5 cm, 15 cm x 10 cm, 30 cm x 10 cm and 45 cm x 10 cm having plant population of 13.33, 6.66, 3.33 and 2.22 lakh/ha respectively) and 4 fertilizer levels (Control, 12 and 24, 18 and 36 and 24 and 48 kg N and P2O5/ha respectively). The gross and net plot sizes were 5.4 m x 4.0 m and 2.7 m x 3.5 m respectively. FYM @ 2 tones/ha was applied and mixed well in soil at 15 days prior to sowing. The seeds of ashwagandha cv. ‘Jawahar Asgandh 20’ were treated with Carbendazim @ 2g/kg seeds against damping off-disease. The crop was sown on September 15 during both years at different spacings as per the treatments. The crop was thinned at 30 DAS to retain one seedling/hill and was fertilized as per the treatments at sowing. The crop was sprayed with Monocrotophos @ 1 ml/l against aphids and was harvested on 15 March

2.2

0.8 0.4

1.1 0.8

0.3 4.76

13.65

6.46

18.92

3

8

22.59

389.98 43

66.89

51.9

53.7 31.3 13.2 91.52

43.1

383.46 40

838.59

28.8

28.1 11.2

11.7 88.11

59.23 367.59 31

734.81

344.44 27

821.48

38.5 26.3 11.6 46.93

46.88

662.04

0.5

1.4 1.1 0.8 10.86

46.8

9

104.22

0.4 0.3 3.74 15.78 3

35.17

45.6 27.2

28.1 12.7

11.4 89.18

100.58 1117.90

1000.20 403.50

609.86

38

49

46.2

48.6 29.7

30.2 10.6

12.9 72.90

23.14 300.60 129.24

342.86

30

32

638.21

Harvest (180 DAS) 120 DAS 60 DAS Harvest (180 DAS) 120 DAS 60 DAS Harvest (180 DAS)

when the leaves started drying and berrys turning red (180 DAS) during both years. At harvest, five plants were randomly selected in each treatment for recording physiological growth and yield parameters. The plants from each net plot were uprooted and the roots and shoots were separated and sun dried for a week. The root yield was recorded as kg/plot and expressed in kg/ hectare. Five plants in each plot were sampled at 60 days interval beginning from 60 days after sowing (DAS) till harvest. The plant samples were oven dried at 700 C to a constant weight for recording dry matter production. The leaf area was measured with leaf area meter, model-LI 3050 A/4. Since error variances for physiological growth and yield attributes and root yield of respective treatments during both years were found homogenous, the pooling of data was done. The pooled data of 2 years was statistically analysed for interpretation.

4

12 5

2 0.1

0.3 0.3

0.1 0.1

NS 1.2

0.5

NS CD(5%)

1.4

0.3 SEm+

0.5

101 61 5.3 4.8 2.8 63.6 27.3 24 : 48

56.9

93

98 56

48 5.1

5.2 4.6

4.5 2.6

2.8 62.9

61.5 53.4

18 : 36

55.0

26.3

27.4

12 :24

88 42 4.8 4.1 2.5 59.2 50.3 25.2 Control

16 5 NS 0.3 NS 1.9 0.9 CD(5%) Fertilizer levels (kg N:P2O5/ha)

1.8

5 2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.6 0.3 SEm+

101

117 61

52 5.5

5.6 4.8

4.9 2.7

2.7 58.5

60.7

25.5 45cm x 10 cm

52.3

26.7 30cm x 10 cm

53.8

91

92 40

46 5.3

5.2 4.6

4.6 2.8

2.6 62.3

27.1 15cm x 10 cm

54.8 26.9 15cm x 5 cm

Spacings (cm)

63.0

60 DAS Harvest (180 DAS) 120 DAS 60 DAS Harvest (180 DAS) 120 DAS

55.8

120 DAS

Results and Discussion

60 DAS

Root length (cm) Number of leaves/ plant Primary branches / plant Plant height (cm) Treatments

Table 1. Growth components of ashwagandha as influenced by spacings and fertilizer levels

Leaf area (cm2/plant)

(Mean of 2 years)

213

Significant difference due to different spacings on plant height, number of leaves/plant, leaf area, root length at all the growth stages and on primary branches/ plant at 120 DAS were noticed (Table 1). A closer spacing of 15cm X 10cm produced significantly higher plant height at 60 DAS (27.1 cm), 120 DAS (55.8 cm) and at harvest (63.0 cm) as compared to other spacings. This was due to competition among the plants for solar energy. While the reverse trend was observed in both primary branches/ plant and number of leaves/plant. Wider spacings (30cm x 10cm and 45cm x 10cm) recorded more number of primary branches/plant at 120 DAS (4.9 and 4.8 respectively) and at harvest ( 5.5 and 5.6, respectively) as compared to closer spacings. Significantly more number of leaves/ plant were recorded at wider spacing (45cm x 10cm) at 60 DAS (61), 120 DAS (117) and at harvest (49) as compared to other spacings. The more number of primary branches and leaves/plant were due to availability of more space, soil moisture and nutrients to individual plants. Similar findings were reported by Manish Agarwal et al., 2004) in ashwagandha. The leaf area which reflects the

214 photosynthetic surface increased rapidly from 60 to 120 DAS and there after decreased under varying spacings and fertilizer levels. The production of maximum leaf area at 120 DAS can be attributed to higher number of leaves/plant (91 to 117) and decrease beyond 120 DAS was mainly due to leaf senescence and less number of leaves/plant (30 to 49). The wider spacing of 45 cm x10 cm recorded significantly higher leaf area and root length at 60 (609.86 cm2/plant and 12.7 cm, respectively), 120 DAS (1117.90 cm2/plant and 28.1 cm, respectively) and harvest (100.58 cm 2 /plant and 46.8 cm respectively) compared to other spacings except 30 cm x 10 cm spacing at which root length was at par.

The dry matter production at all the growth stages, biological yield and dry root yield differed significantly due to different spacings (Table 2). At 60 DAS, dry matter production at 45 cm x 10 cm spacing was at par with 30 cm x 10 cm. Similar trend was observed with dry matter production in roots. The dry matter production/plant was significantly higher at wider spacing of 45 cm x 10 cm at 120 DAS (16.348 g/plant ) and harvest (27.101 g/[plant) compared to rest of the spacings. The maximum dry matter production at wider spacing can be because of reduced inter plant competition, better solar radiation, more absorption of soil moisture and nutrients leading to higher leaf area

Table 2. Dry matter production and dry root yield of ashwagandha as influenced by spacings and fertilizer levels (Mean of 2 years) Dry matter production (g/plant) Treatment

60 DAS

Spacings (cm) 15 cm x 5 cm 3.658 15 cm x 10 cm 3.755 30 cm x 10 cm 4.871 45 cm x 10 cm 4.828 SEm+ 0.067 CD(5%) 0.197 Fertilizer levels (kg N:P2O5/ha) Control 3.222 12 :24 3.866 18 : 36 4.876 24 : 48 5.103 SEm+ 0.067 CD(5%) 0.197

Dry root yield (kg/ha)

Biological yield (kg/ha)

Harvest index (%)

Harvest (180 DAS)

Dry matter production in roots (g/plant)

11.220 12.019 13.456 16.348 0.105 0.301

16.923 16.812 21.918 27.101 0.273 0.801

2.30 2.53 3.35 3.31 0.06 0.19

1288 1415 910 687 10 31

18180 22150 13190 8360 510 1524

14.2 15.6 14.5 12.3 0.2 0.6

10.668 12.357 14.521 14.987 0.105 0.301

16.716 20.186 22.372 23.481 0.273 0.801

2.31 2.96 3.05 3.18 0.06 0.19

957 1035 1145 1163 10 31

12160 15140 15960 17520 550 1627

12.8 14.7 14.0 15.1 0.2 0.

120 DAS

and higher root length. These results are in conformity with the findings of Jayalakhsmi (2003). A reverse trend was observed in dry root yield and biological yield (Table 2). The closer spacings (15 cm x 5 cm and 15 cm x 10 cm) produced significantly higher dry root yield and biological yield compared to wider spacings (30 cm x 10 cm and 45 cm x 10 cm). The dry root yield and biological yield were significantly higher (1415 and 22,150 kg/ha) at a closer spacing (15 cm x 10 cm) compared to rest of the spacings. Similar findings were reported by Saudan Singh et al (2003) in ashwagandha. The higher dry root yield and biological yield could be attributed to more number of plants/ha. Harvest index followed a similar trend with 15 cm x 10 cm spacing resulting the highest value. The number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant, root length at all the growth stages, plant height and number of primary branches/plant at 60 DAS and harvest were significantly influenced by fertilizer levels (Table 1). There was linear increase in plant height, primary branches/plant, number of leaves/ plant, leaf area and root length with increase in fertilizer levels from control to 24:48 kg N:P2O5/ha. Plant height and primary branches/plant were significantly higher at 120 DAS (56.9 cm and 4.8

respectively) and at harvest (63.6 cm and 5.3 respectively) at higher fertilizer level ( 24 : kg N:P2O5 /ha) as compared to other levels. Significantly higher number of leaves/plant were produced at 60 DAS (61), 120 DAS (101) and at harvest (43) with the application of 24:48 kg N:P2O5/ha as compared to control and 12:24 kg N:P2O5/ha and it was on par with 18:36 kg N:P2O5/ha. The availability of more quantity of N and P nutrients to the plant resulted in the better performance at higher fertility levels. These results were in conformity with the findings of Patel et al (2004) in ashwagandha. Fertilizer level of 24:48 kg N:P2O5/ha recorded significantly higher leaf area at 60 DAS (389.98 cm2/plant), 120 DAS (838.59 cm2/ plant) and harvest (91.52 cm2/plant) compared to other fertilizer levels except 18:36 kg N:P2O5/ha with which it was on par. While the root length was significantly higher at 60 DAS (13.2 cm), 120 DAS (31.3 cm) and at harvest (53.7 cm) with fertilizer level of 24:48 kg N:P2O5/ha over control and 12:24 kg N:P2O5/ha but it was at par with 18:36 kg N:P2O5/ha. The increased leaf area and root length at all the growth stages was due to increase in leaf number ( 61, 117 and 49 at 60 DAS, 120 DAS and at harvest respectively) under better nutrition. These results are in accordance with the findings of Kiruthikadevi (2002) in ashwagandha.

215 The dry matter production/plant differed significantly due to fertilizer levels at all the growth stages (Table 2). Application of N and P increased the dry matter production/plant significantly and linearly from control to highest fertilizer levels due to enhanced vegetative growth on account of availability of sufficient nutrients. Though the application of 24:48 kg N:P2O5/ha produced significantly higher dry matter production/plant at 60 DAS (5.103 g/plant), 120 DAS (14.987 g/plant) and at harvest (23.481 g/plant) compared to other fertilizer levels, it was on par with 18:36 kg N:P2O5/ha. The dry matter production in roots followed the similar trend. This was resulted in production of higher dry root yield (1163 kg/ha) and biological yield (17,520 kg/ha). Similar results were also reported by Maheshwari et al (2000) in ashwagndha. Thus, it can be inferred from the above results that the biological yield, harvest index and root length were maximum at closer spacing of 15 cm x 10 cm and at a fertilizer level of 18:36 kg N:P2O5/ha which reflected in higher dry root yield of ashwagandha. References Gupta, A.P., Verma, R.K., Misra, H.O. and Gupta, M.M. 1996. Quantitative determination of withaferin – A different plant parts of Withania sominifera by TLC densitornetry. J. Med. Arom. Pl. Sci. 18: 788-790.

Jayalakshmi, S. 2003. Effect of spacing and nitrogen levels on growth, tuberous root yield and alkaloid content of medicinal coleus (Coleus forskohlii Brig.). M.Sc. Thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Kiruthikadevi, V. 2002. Nutritional studies on root yield and quality of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal). M.Sc. Thesis, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Maheshwari, S.K., Sharma, R.K. and Gangrade, S.K. 2000. Response of ashwagandha to organic manures and fertilizers in shallow black soil under rainfed conditions. Indian J. Agron. 45: 214-6. Manish Agarwal, Singh, P. and Agarwal, M.K. 2004. Effect of sowing dates and spacing on yield attributes and root yield of ashwagandha. J. Med. Arom. Pl. Sci. 26: 473-474. Patel, D.H. Upadyaya, P.N., Patel, K.V., Patel, J.B. and Patel, B.K. 2004. Effect of method of sowing, time of harvesting and nitrogen application on dry root yield of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal). J. Med. Arom. Pl. Sci. 26: 288-292. Saudan Singh, Khanuja, S.P. S., Aparbal Singh, Man Singh and Singh, U.B. 2003. Potential and economics of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (Linn.) Dunal) in overlapping cropping system under rainfed conditions of tropical North India. J. Spices Arom. Crops 12: 101-6. Tripathi, A.K., Shukla, Y.N. and Kumar, S.1996, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal (Solanaceae)) : A status report. J. Med. Arom. Plant Sci. 18: 46-62.

Received: March 10, 2010; Accepted: August 21, 2010

1 73 09 article final.pmd

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Annigeri (Karnataka), during rabi seasons of 2004-05 and 2005-06 to study the growth and dry matter production in ashwagandha as influenced by spacings and fertilizer levels. The results indicated that the leaf area, dry matter production in roots and dry ...

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