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Problems and prospects of commercial
cultivation of wonder herb Safed Moosil (Chlorophytum Borivilianum
L.)
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Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved
Due to the heavy demand of different useful parts of valuable medicinal plants, their availability is continuously decreasing. Safed Moosli (Chlorophylum borivianum) is among such medicinal plants. In Indian system of medicine, 'Safed Moosli' holds a reputed position. It is widely used as natural sex tonic. This is the reason that it is an integral part of more than 100 Ayurvedic formulations. Indian forests are rich in safed moosli'. The survey conducted by the author has revealed that due to its unique medicinal properties, its demand is increasing very fast in Indian and International drug markets. This increasing demand has created a pressure on Indian forest and if steps for timely conservation are not taken, the Indian forests will lose this valuable plant [2]. Safed moosli belongs to Liliaceae family. More than 175 species of Chlorophylum have been - reported in the world. In other parts of world, Chlorophylum is used as an ornamental plants.
Only in India, it is treated as medicinal plant. Chlorophytum is originated from South Africa and introduced in India. A total of 13 species of Chlorophylum have been reported from India. (Table 1). All these species are totally different in medicinal properties but due to lack of correct information all the species are known as safed moosli in Indian drug market [1]. Chhattisgarh, a newly formed state of India. is rich in bio-diversity [5]. Many rare and valuable medicinal plants including safed moosli have been reported from this region [3-5]. Safed moosli is becoming a popular medicinal crop in Chhattisgarh. Many farmers have started its commercial cultivation in the region. To list out the problems perceived by the safed moosli growers in the region, a study was conducted by during 1999-2000.
The study was conducted in purposively selected disricts namely Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Mahasarnuand. Bastar, Bilaspur and Sarguja. From each selected district, the safed moosli growers were identified and selected for study. The total sample size was of 46 respondents. The informations were collected with the help of personal interview on a well prepared interview schedule. Many field visits to the farmers' field were also done during and after the crop season Distribution of respondents in different selected districts (with details) is given in table 2.
The study revealed that the safed moosli growers of Chhattisgarh are facing many problems like high cost and poor availability of seeding material, lack of technical information, poor marketing infrastructure, etc. These problems are discussed below in detail.
Table 1 : Different species of Chlorophytum available in India Species Distribution C. aruninaceum Baker All districts of Chota Nagpur, Vindhya, Satpura and Aravali Hiss, parts of Central India. Taria region of N-E Himalayas in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. C. attenuatum Baker Western Ghats, southwards to Coimbatore, West Peninsula. C. borivilianum Danges Forests (Gujarat), Aravali Hills C. laxum R. Br. Katki Hills, Belgaum, Dharwar, North and South kanara, Deccan peninsula in India C. tuberosum (Rox b.) Baker Parts of Konakan to Travancore in Kerala, Eastern Himalaya, Bihar and West Bengal C. breviscapum Sikkim Himalaya, Belgaum and South Peninsula
Table 2 : Distribution of respondents in different districts District City No. of farmers Area under Cultivation Remarks Bastar Jagdalpur, Kondagaon 2,1 M, H CA, CB CB, Cultivation in 45 acres Raipur Raipur 10 L CA Durg Durg 12 L CA Rajanandgaon Rajanandgaon 13 L CA, CB Bilaspur Bilaspur, Kargiroad 2, 2 L, M CA , CL Kanker Kanker 1 L CA Mahasamund Mahasamund 1 M, H CA Sarguja Ambikapur 2 : CA L = Less than 1 acre area under cultivation; M= 1-10 acres area undercultivation; H = More 10 acres area undercultivation; CA= Chlorophyum arundinaceum; CB=Chlorophytum borivilianum; CL= Chlorophytum laxum
Table 3 : Rates of available planting material of safed moosli (Rs./quintal) Year Moosli farms in Maharashtra Wild collections 1998 40,000 20,000 1999 55,000 25,000 2000 65,000 25,000
Table 4 : Major insect and disease infestations observed in different districts of Chhattisgarh District Disease Insect Raipur - - Bilaspur Root-totting fungus (S) Aphid, Blister beetle Durg Root-rootting fungus (S) X Rajnandgaon X X Sarguja X X Bastar Root-rooting fungus (m) X Mahasamund Root-rooting fungus (m) Blister beetle Kanker X X
Table 5 : District-wise, details of farmers adopting organic farming of safed moosli (n=46) District 10% Organic Partially Chemical 100% Chemical Bastar(3) 33.30% 66.60% - Raipur (10) - - 100% Durg(12) 16.60% 8.30% 75.00% Rajnandgaon(13) - 100% - Bilaspur(4) - - 100% Kanker (1) 100% - - Mahasamund(1) - - 100% Sarguja (2) 50% - 50% (1) High cost of available seeding material: For commercial cultivation, safed moosJi is propagated through its fleshy roots. For one hectare, planting about 2.5 to 3 q planting material is required. The existing cost (1999-2000) rate of safed moosli planting material is more than Rs. 65,000/q. This high cost of plant material is creating a problem for farmers. Due to heavy demand of safed moosli the plant material is not easily available and is booked for two-three years in advance. The study also revealed that the available planting material is of inferior quality. Delayed, uneven and poor sprouting of available planting material are noted as main problems. It was also noted that due to monopoly of certain growers, the cost of planting material is increasing very sharply year by year (Table -3). Also due to some malpractices by the supplier, like mixing of sands, etc. with the planting material, the farmers, specially the beginners are also discouraged. During the study, many respondents complained that the suppliers were selling their chemically treated planting material as organically grown planting material at high cost. The high cost of available planting material has made the safed moosli a crop only of rich farmers.
(2) Lack of technical guidance for cultivation As safed moosli is a new crop in India, not much work has been done on its scientific aspects of cultivation. In Chhatlisgarh, systematic research work on this valuable medicinal crop has not yet been started. Due to lack of technical information, the farmers, specially the small farmers, are facing many problems. In Chatlisgarh rich farmers are conducting some experiments ai their farms. These experiments are at very initial stages. As not many technocrats are available in Chhattisgarh rich farmers are not able to conduct and analyse the experiments at their farms. In India, high yielding varieties of safed moosli are yet not available. One farmer ofBastar district tried to develop the varieties and some selections of safed moosli. These varieilies are available-in market from this year. The authenticity and scientific evaluation of these varieties have yet not been tested by any research institution. The study revealed that majority of the farmers are interested in organic cultivation of safed moosli. But due to lack of reliable information farmers are partially) using the chemicals (Table-4).
(3) Marketing of Safed Moosli: Since last three years, due to regular training programmes on cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants by governmental and non-governmental organisations, many farmers have started the commercial cultivation of safed moosli. In these training programmes, the concerned trainers have assured the farmers that there is a heavy demand of safed moosli in national and international drug markets but they have not informed about the problems related with markets and where the markets are? During the study, many respondents have complained that due to lack of information about suitable market, they have to sell their produce at very low rates in nearby local markets. The purchasers at the metropolitan cities and abroad are not in direct contact of fanners. Also, their requirement being high they purchase in bulk. Due to high cost of available planting material and poor market infrastructure, farmers are not taking a bold step of cultivation of this crop in larger areas to fulfill the demand of purchasers. Most of the respondents have not shown interest in selling the dried moosli roots. They are interested in selling the fresh moosli roots are the planting material because the market rate and demands of planting material is very high.
(4) Increasing infestation of insects and diseases; Although not much infestation of insects and diseases have been reported in sated moosli crop. but in Chhattisgarh. many insects and diseases have staned infesting this crop (Table 5). Among the diseases, severe infestation of root-rotting fungus (unidentified) in Bilaspur district has been noted. The infestation of this fungus is also noted in Bastar and Mahasamund districts. Among the insects, heavy infestation of flower eating orange banded blister beetle Zonabris pustulata Thunb. (Coleoptera; Meloidae) was observed in Mahasamund and Bilaspur districts. This is the first record of this beetle on this medicinal crop. Average 3-4 beetles/plant have been observed. These beetles were found eating the flowers of safed moosli. The infestation of aphid (unidentified) was also noted in Bilaspur district. As stated earlier, the farmers are interested in organic farming and suitable technologies are not available. Many farmers are using the organic cultivation practices recommended for other crops in different regions. Some farmers are using cow urine, neem oil and plant extracts.
(5) Processing of harvested materials: Due to lack of information regarding post harvest technologies, farmers are facing problems. The peeling of moosli roots is not only expensive but also laborious and time consuming job. The Chhattisgarh farmers are in search of manually or mechanically operated machine for this purpose. Due to improper storage facilities fanners are getting the moosli of inferior quality.
Above mentioned results of study have clearly revealed that Chhattisgarh farmers are eager for the commercial cultivation of safed moosli in larger areas if these constraints are removed. By adopting the following suggestions one can help the former in constructive ways.
1. To establish a regional research centre for medicinal and aromatic plants in Chhattisgarh.
2. To provide a technical guidance to the farmers.
3. To make available the planting materials to the farmers at reasonable rates.
4. To develop cultivation packages according to the economical status of all the categories of farmers.
5. To identify the suitable markets for safed moosli. To evaluate the suitability of different released varieties in different climatic situations of Chhattisgarh and also to start variety development programme in the region, according to the local needs.
6. To develop low input processing methods.
ReferencesBordia PC, Joshi A and Simlot MM. 1995. Safed Moosli. In: Advances in Horticulture Vol. II- Medicinal and Aroamtic Plants. Eds: K.L. Chadha and Rajendra Gupta. Pbl. Malhotra Publishing House, New Delhi: 429-451.
Oudhia P. 2000. Can we save the endangered medicinal plant Safed Moosli (Chlorophyfum borivilianum) in Indian forests. An article written for An American site www.herb.com July-August, 2000.
Qudhia P and Dixit A. 1994. Weeds in Ambikapur region (Madhya Pradesh) and their traditional use. Weed Nws 1:19-21.
Oudhia P and Joshi BS. 2000. The decreasing availability of natural medicinal plants in Chhattisgarh: A study. In: Abstract. VI National Science Conference, Mahalma Gandhi Garmodaya Chitrakut Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakut (India) 9-10 March, 18.
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