Botanical.com Experiences and interactions with herb growers and exporters associated with medicinal and aromatic herb Kasturibhendi (Abelmoschus moschatus)

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
 © 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Kasturibhendi is a medicinal and aromatic crop preferred and adopted by the herb growers of not only Chhattisgarh but also other parts of India. Many of herb growers are still not aware of the potential market but they are giving preference to Kasturibhendi because its cultivation is very simple and it is best suited as Kharif (rainy) season crop. The Indian farmers have found their well prepared soybean, green gram, black gram fields best suitable for commercial cultivation of this new crop. I have seen hundreds of acres under this crop in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujrat state of India. In Chhattisgarh, it is under cultivation since 1996. Unfortunately, the Indian researchers have not done serious research on different important aspects of Kasturibhendi and the work they have done, has not reached properly to Indian farmers.

Botanical differences between two major species of Abelmoschus
Characteristics Abelmoschus Abelmoschus
  esculentus moschatus
1) Stem Erect, branched, 3-6 feet high, round, towards the base somewhat woody, tender parts covered with sharp bristles, often spotted with purplish specks Stem clothed with long hairs
2) Leaves Alternate, stalked, inferior ones only angular, about the middle of the plant palmate, while the superior ones are subdigitate, with the divisions lanceolate-oblong all seriate and somewhat bristly Polymorphous, cordate, the lower ovate, acute or roundish serrate or irregularly toothed, hairy
3) Flower Axillary, solutary, on short stalks, very large, pale yellow, with a dark crimson bottom Regular, bisexual, involucral bracts 8-12, hairly, yellow with purple centre
4) Fruit Capsule from 6 to 12 inches long and about one inch diameter, somewhat bristly, particularly the ridges, their number corresponding with that of the cells and valves, with a single row of round, smooth seeds in each cell Capsule fulvous hairy, oblong-lanceolate, acute, seeds subreniform, blackish

You will be surprised to know that most of the improved cultivation practices Indian herb growers are adopting, are the results of their own research and experiences. The innovative farmers have developed and adopted ecofriendly cultivation practices. I want to salute them for their dedication and hard work. The area under Kasturibhendi is increasing very rapidly in different parts of India but the new findings of innovative farmers are not reaching properly to the new growers. This is the reason that most of the new farmers are adopting chemical farming instead of organic farming. The chemical farming is deteriorating the quality and specific smell of Kasturibhendi seeds and the farmers are getting very low market prices for their high input produces. I personally know over 52 herb growers engaged in commercial farming of Kasturibhendi. Fortunately we are in contact with each other and we are sharing our experiences and research findings. Every farmer is sharing one acre of land for experimentation where we try to conduct field experiments based on regional problems. Our emphasis is on quality aspect. In the group of herb growers, the herb growers of Raipur, Bastar, Sarguja, Raigarh, Durg, Dhamtari, Kanker (All in Chhattisgarh), Rajkot and Anand (Gujarat), Harpalpur, Jabalpur, Chindwara, Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), Gudgaon (Haryana), Oodlabari (West Bengal) etc. are associated.

Common and popular names of Marigold around the world.
Languages/Regions/Countries Names
1) Arabic Hajai, Hamahama
2) Bengal Genda, Gendha
3) Brazil Cravo de defunto
4) SriLanka African Marigold
5) Egypt Gatife
6) English African Marigold, French Marigold
7) Hindi Genda, Gonda, Gulatora, Lalmurga
8) Iraq Ja'fari
9) Marathi makhamala, Zendu
10) Mexico Cempoalxochitt
11) Persian Sadabarg, Kajekharusa
12) Sanskrit Sthulapushpa, Zandu, Zanduka
13) Telugu Banti
14) Urdu Genda
15) Uriya Gendu

The oil extracted from Kasturibhendi is having a great national and international demand. In national and international drug market the oil is known as Ambrette oil. This is used as herbal alternative to Musk. It is commonly known as Kasturibhendi (Kasturi - Musk; Bhendi - Lady’s Finger), Muskdana (Musk - Musk; Dana - Seeds), Latalkasturika etc. Its English name is Musk-Mallow (Family :- Malvaceae). Kasturibhendi holds a reputed position in Indian systems of Medicine. According to Ayurveda the seeds are cooling, carminative, aphrodisiac, tonic and useful in intestinal complaints, stomatitis, diseases of heart. According to Unani system of Medicine, the seeds are tonic and stomachic and useful in burning thirst, leucoderma, itch, gonorrhoea, urinary discharge, dyspepsia etc. Its roots and leaves are used for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. In standard botanical literatures, I have found this botanical description of Kasturibhendi.

It is a tall annual shrub; stem clothed with long and dense hairs; Leaves polymorphous, cordate, the lower ovate, acute or roundish angled, upper Palmately 3-7 lobbed, lobes oblong-ovate, crenate, serrate or irregularly toothed, hairy; Flowers regular, bisexual, involucral bracts 8-12, hairy, yellow with purple centre; Flowers capsule, fulvous hairy, oblong-lanceolate, acute; seeds sub reniform and blackish. The natural occurrence of Kasturibhendi is reported in different parts of India including Chhattisgarh but I have not found a single plant of this herb in wild. Also the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are not aware of its medicinal uses. Lady’s Finger Abelmoschus escutentus Linn. is under cultivation in Chhattisgarh in fairly large areas. In field bunds and wastelands of Chhattisgarh an occurrence of wild relative of cultivated Lady’s finger is reported. Locally it is known as Phutu Bhaji. I am not aware of its correct identification.

This wild species is used by the natives of Chhattisgarh and traditional healers are also aware of its medicinal potential. This wild species is not under cultivation in Chhattisgarh.As Allelopath, I have conducted many laboratory and field experiments in order to use the allelopathic potential of different weeds for growth and development of Kasturibhendi. With the help of allelopathic method, we have solved many problems faced by the growers. We have found the allelopathic method as promising tool of organic agriculture. In Kasturibhendi, germination and initial slow growth rate are noted as common problem. In order to root out this problem we conducted a series of experiments using aqueous extracts and leachate of different parts of common weeds in Kasturibhendi fields. In ancient Indian literatures, it is written that the solution of every problem is present in nature and one has to search these solutions sincerely. These experiments helped us to identify some promising extracts and leachate that can be utilised for Kasturibhendi cultivation. As the routine allelopathic methods are known for their complexities, we have developed farmer’s friendly methods. The method is simple. The farmers collect the recommended parts of particular weed, dip it in water in specific ratio, kept it in room temperature, 24 hours after the dipping the leachate are collected or the extraction is performed. Farmers dip the seed in this extracts and leachate for another 24 hours and after this duration, the germination operation is performed. We have observed that this pre sowing soaking treatment of Kasturibhendi seeds not only increases the germination and early seedling vigour but also helps in developing resistance toward soil borne diseases and insect attack during initial growth phase.

The farmers using this method do not use the fungicides or other chemicals in order to treat the seeds. Fortunately and luckily, in our experiment we have noted the stimulatory allelopathic effect of obnoxious weed Parthenium hysterophorus L. on this new crop. After getting this encouraging results, our group decided to use it practically at farmer’s field. We were not aware of the lethal effects of parthenin on the quality of Kasturibhendi seeds. So, we decided to use the crop produce only for oil extraction not for preparation of Ayurvedic or Unani drugs. Due to this parthenin compound , responsible for harmful effects of Parthenium, we have not recommended the use of Parthenium leaves as growth stimulant to other herb growers. Very recently I attended the one day brain storming session for Parthenium workers organised by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. In this meeting I presented these findings among Parthenium workers. They were surprised to know the useful properties of Parthenium. A biochemist from Uttar Pradesh is now associated with us in order to study the fate of parthenin in Kasturibhendi plant. Like Lady’s finger crop, many destructive insects and diseases attack on this new crop.

As Kasturibhendi is in heavy demand due to its typical smell, it is necessary to get more and more aroma from produce (i. e. seeds). The heavy infestation of insects and diseases, motivate the farmers to use heavy doses of agrochemicals to save their crops. The use of agrochemicals even less than the recommended doses, helps in reducing the pest population but it reduces the aroma. Hence, the farmers get very low rates for their produces. We have observed up to 30% yield reduction due to these insects and diseases. Very few farmers are aware of this harmful effects of agrochemicals on the aroma. They believe that the buyers are cheating them by giving lower rates. With the help of group, I have developed many methods in order to repell the insect and pathogens from Kasturibhendi crop. We recommend our farmers to plant Genda (Gonda in Chhattisgarh) Tagetes erecta and Kalmegh (Andro graphis paniculata) plants in boundary of fields. The Tagetes plants are well known as barrier or guard crop. Its typical smell repell away the pests from field. The beneficial effects of Tagetes on harmful creatures have been well documented. The potential of Andrographis as guard crop is discovered by one of my farmers Mr. Deen Dayal Verma. He is using this guard crop in the commercial cultivation of Safed Moosli and Bach. Now after getting encouraging results from Mr. Verma’s experiment, we are recommending it to other herb growers.

You will be surprised to know that many paddy growers have also started planting this useful plant in field bunds in order to repell away the harmful insects. Recently I heard from Mr. Verma that some scientists from nearby city Bilaspur visited the field, collected the data and now they are planning to publish a research paper on this aspect. Let us hope they will mention the discovery of Mr. Verma in original form and give the credit to him. I do not want to comment on this practice but I personally feel that the emphasis should be on search (done by Mr. Verma, a farmer) rather than the research (the scientists are doing).As cattle are an essential part of farmer’s family in India, we are focusing our research on use of cow urine and cow dung as tool for organic cultivation of herbs. Fortunately in India, many organisations have focused their works on this important aspect. This is the reason the use of cow urine and dung as phytomedicine and also as human medicine is increasing in India.

Our group has developed very simple method. They collect fresh cow dung and cow urine in equal proportion, mix it and add some herbs like Neem, Kalmegh, Parthenium, Calotropis etc. having well-known insecticidal properties and keep this solution for 2 months. After 2 months the extraction is done and the solution in applied in the ratio of 1:5 (one part of solution and five parts of water) on standing crop in order to repell away the insects and also to provide organic supplement to standing crop. In Kasturibhendi crop, we apply this "Green spray" in the interval of fifteen days.

This spray saves the cost of agrochemicals. This spray is becoming very popular among the farmers. In different ratio, it can be used for pre sowing soaking treatment of Kasturibhendi seeds. We have yet not observed any harmful effect of this spray on any herbs. We always avoid the use of bull’s and pregnant cow’s urine. In case of Urgency, when we use urine from these sources, we use it in the ratio of 1:10 (ten parts of water). We are using this spray since1996. According to the buyers from nearby metros mainly from Kolkata, there is a heavy demand of Kasturibhendi seeds in both national and international markets. But due to lack of communication, the farmers are not aware of this demand. The buyers and exporters, exploit the farmers by saying that there is no demand and taking advantage of farmer’s tension, they purchase the seeds at throw away prices.

According to the Chhattisgarh farmers, even in this so called throw away price they are earning more than the existing traditional crops. Unfortunately, in Chhattisgarh even a single oil extraction is not established. I am sure that these units can give many times more return to the Kasturibhendi growers.I am not aware about the cultivation status of this useful crop in other parts of the world, but I am sure that the experimental and research findings of Chhattisgarh farmers will be of great use for them and this is the only intention behind writing this article.