Ashwagandha Cultivation in India: From Sowing to Harvesting

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Ashwagandha Farming
• Understanding the Ashwagandha Plant
• What are the Different Varieties of Ashwagandha?
• Where is Ashwagandha Grown?
• Cultivation Process of Ashwagandha Farming
  • Soil & Climate
  • Land Preparation
  • Transplanting the Ashwagandha Sapling
  • Sowing Method
  • Seed Treatment
  • Thinning & Weeding
  • Applying Manures & Fertilizers
  • Irrigation
  • Pest & Disease Management
  • Harvesting of the Ashwagandha Plant

Introduction to Ashwagandha Farming

Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal plant known for its tonic and sedative properties. It first found mention in the text Punarvasu Atreya, some 4,000 years ago, and has been a key medicine in the Indian traditional medicine systems of Ayurveda and Unani. There is a significant scope for increasing its cultivation and achieving higher production to address the demand–supply gap. The annual demand for Ashwagandha in India is approximately 7,000 tonnes, but only 1,500 tonnes are produced. However, cultivating it successfully requires extreme care as it requires specific agro-climatic conditions.

Understanding the Ashwagandha Plant

Ashwagandha's scientific name is Withania Somnifera, wherein Withania means ‘primary extract of plant’ and somnifera means ‘sleep-inducing’ drug. The biological source of Ashwagandha includes dried roots as well as stem bases of Withania somnifera Dunal, which belongs to the Solanaceae family. It is known by different regions and languages. These names include Asgandh, Winter Cherry, and Indian ginseng. It is named so because its root extract smells like a horse, and its consumption provides strength and vitality like a horse.

Ashwagandha’s medicinal properties find mentions in texts like Astanga Hridaya, Bhava Prakasha Nighantu, Chakra Samhita, and Sushruta Samhita. Its root extract is primarily used as a sedative and tonic in many countries. It is also referred to as ‘Royal Herb’ because of its multiple therapeutic effects on the human body.

Ashwagandha medicinal plant, is an erect, branching undershrub that reaches a height of about 1.50 meters. It is mainly cultivated in dry and sub-tropical regions of India. Its cultivation requires extreme care as it is a highly soft plant.

What are the Different Varieties of Ashwagandha?

As per Ashwagandha classification, the main varieties of Ashwagandha are:

• Rakshita and Poshita
• WSR
• Raj Vijay Ashwagandha-100
• Jawahar Asgand-20 and Jawahar Asgand-134
• Nagori

Where is Ashwagandha Grown?

Ashwagandha is primarily cultivated in India, Pakistan, and North America. With the growing awareness and importance of Ayurveda across the world, the export potential of Ashwagandha has increased. Today, this plant is exported to countries like Canada, the Czech Republic, and the USA. 

The major states involved in Ashwagandha farming are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Among all these states, Madhya Pradesh is the leading Ashwagandha-producing state, where it is cultivated in more than 5000 hectares.

Cultivation Process of Ashwagandha Farming

The following are the main considerations related to the Ashwagandha cultivation in India:

Soil & Climate

Sandy loam to light red soil with a 7.5 to 8 pH is best suited for Ashwagandha cultivation. Also, it should have a good drainage facility. Its plant grows well in 600-1200 m altitude.

Ashwagandha is cultivated during the late rainy season and is a Kharif season crop. The plant, during its growing period relatively requires a dry season, and one or two winter rains improve its root development. The ideal climatic conditions are:

• Climate: Semi-tropical
• Temperature: 20°C to 35°C

Land Preparation

Field preparation is the first step in any crop cultivation process. In the case of the Ashwagandha plant, 2 to 3 ploughing and harrowing needs to be done before the rains. Once the land is well ploughed, pulverised, and brought to fine tilth, apply 10 -20 tonnes of Farmyard Manure (FYM).

Transplanting the Ashwagandha Sapling

The planting of Ashwagandha can take place in two ways: directly sowing the seedling or transplanting the nursery-grown plant.

In the former method, prepare the ridges at a spacing of 60 cm and then plant the seedlings at 30 cm spacing. The optimum plant spacing for Ashwagandha is 60 cm x 30 cm with a density of around 55,000 seedlings per hectare.

In the latter method, transplant the nursery-raised plant after 25 – 35 days of sowing with a 60 cm x 60 cm spacing.

Sowing Method

Transplanting of Ashwagandha is done either by broadcasting method or live method. In the case of the broadcasting method, the ideal seed rate is 10 -12 kg per hectare. Do ensure to cover the seeds with light soil.

In the case of line to line method, the seeds are generally sown 1 – 3 cm deep. The ideal line-to-line distance is 20 – 25 cm, and plant-to-plant spacing is 8 – 10 cm. This method is the most preferred as it helps increase root production and perform intercultural practices efficiently.

Seed Treatment

Seed should be treated with dithane M45 (Inofil m45) or thirum at the rate of 3 grams per kg seed before sowing to protect the seedlings from the seed-borne diseases.

Thinning & Weeding  

Thinning is required to maintain the plant density of about 30 – 60 plants per square km. It should be done 25 – 30 days after sowing with the help of a hand. The plant density usually depends upon the nature and fertility of the soil; for instance, in marginal soils, the plant density is maintained high.

On the other hand, two weeding are required, first within 20 – 25 days of sowing, and second, after 20 – 25 days of the first weeding. This helps keep the Ashwagandha farm free from weeds.

Applying Manures & Fertilizers

Usually, the Ashwagandha plant does not need heavy doses of manure and fertilizers. Yet, the recommended doses are:

• Organic Manure: 10 tonnes FYM per hectare or 1 tonne vermicompost per hectare
• Chemical Fertilizers: 15 kg Nitrogen and 15 kg Phosphorus per hectare.

Irrigation

It is to be noted that excessive rainfall or water is harmful to this crop.  Light showers after transplantation ensure better establishment of seedlings.  Lifesaving irrigation may be applied, if required.  Under irrigated conditions, this crop can be irrigated once in 10 days.

Pest & Disease Management

Even though no major pest is reported in the Ashwagandha crop. Whenever the crop is damaged by an insect, apply:

• 2 to 3 sprays of rogor or nuvan at 0.6%. 
• A combination of 0.5% malathion and 0.1% - 0.3% kelthane as a foliar spray.

These shall be applied at 10-15 days interval to protect against aphids and mites.

Diseases such as seedling rot and blight affect the Ashwagandha plant. To reduce seed mortality accentuated by high humid conditions and temperature, treat the seed at the time of sowing with

• Carbofuran @ 2-2.5 kg/ha; and
• Neem cake.

Further, adoption of crop rotation, timely sowing, and keeping the field well-drained also protects the crop.

Harvesting of the Ashwagandha Plant

Drying out of leaves and yellow-red berries are indication that Ashwagandha is maturing and ready for harvest. Flowering and bearing of fruits begin from December onwards.  The crop is harvested for roots by digging in January to March, i.e., 150 to 180 days after sowing. 

At the time of digging, there should be enough moisture in the soil, and roots should be dug out with the help of either a power tiller or a country plough.  Furthermore, the tap root should be carefully pulled out without damaging even the small lateral roots.

Ashwagandha Plant Yield

On average, the yield from 1 hectare of commercial cultivation is approximately 3 to 5 quintals/ of dry roots and 50-75 kg of seeds.  A maximum yield can be procured up to 6.5 to 7.0 quintals per hectare. There are instances where farmers have achieved root yields as high as 1 tonne. For commercial purposes, 7 to 10 cm length and 6 to 15 mm diameter root species with alkaloid percentage of 0.13 - 0.31% are better.

Ashwagandha is considered an important medicinal plant with drought-tolerant qualities. This is why it is usually grown in marginal soils under rainfed conditions. This crop offers higher profits for farmers due to its high demand and diverse medicinal properties. Overall, Ashwagandha cultivation is a profitable business venture for Indian farmers to market both its raw plant and value-added product