INHOUSE CULTIVATION OF Withania somnifera (ASHAWANGHA) USING HYDROPONICS

Abstract

There is an annual demand for medicinal plant based raw materials in the world. To fulfill the increasing demands, the medicinal plants are harvested excessively from their natural habitants causing loss of biodiversity. The hydroponics technologies have proven its benefits in increasing yields of many medicinal plants. Ashwagandha is widely used herb due to its anti microbial, anti- inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-stress, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and anti-diabetic properties. The objective of the present study was to investigate effect of substrate moisture level and salicylic acid concentrations on the growth and yield of W.somnifera. The plants were grown in an open top coir dust grow bags inside a protected house. Four moisture stress levels 100% CC (container capacity)-M1, 80% of CC-M2, 60% of CC-M3, 50% of (CC) M0 and four strengths (10-2M-S1,10-3M-S2,10-4M-S3 and control-S0) of Salicylic acid as a foliar spray was applied to induce the root yield. The experiment was designed based on split plot design. There were 16 treatment combinations and 3 replicates for each treatment combination of moisture and salicylic acid. Plant height, number of leaves, and internodal length were taken as growth parameters and fresh weight and dry weight of the root was taken as the yield parameter. The data was analyzed by using one way ANOVA and means were separated by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) in SAS® software. The highest plant height (76.79cm) was recorded under treatment M0 and the salicylic acid stress level S3. The highest number of leaves were shown under the moisture stress level M0 and the Salicylic acid stress level S3 which were 117 and 86 leaves per plant respectively. There was no significant influence by treatments on internodal length. Root is the main plant part harvested from W.somnifera due to its rejuvenate properties. Highest fresh root weight was given under the interaction effect of treatments M2 and S3. Highest dry root weight was given under the interaction effect of treatments M4 and S3. According to the results of the experiment, it can be concluded that moisture stress level 50% of container capacity and a foliar spray concentration of 10-4M Salicylic acid could be applied to increase root yield of W.somnifera.