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Open Access Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Vol. 9(1): 12-17 Herbage yield and quality of Neel (Indigofera tinctoria L.) as influenced by shade levels and planting dates Sindhu, P.V, Kanakamany M.T and Beena, C.

AICRP on MAP&B, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University *Corresponding author’s email: ([email protected])

Abstract: Experiments were carried out to study the effect of shade levels and planting dates on herbage yield and quality of Neel (Indigofera tinctoria L.) during 2012 - 13, 2013 - 14 and 2014 - 15 at Thrissur, Kerala, India. The design was split plot with three main plots and three sub plots. The main plot treatments included three levels of shade viz., 25 %, 50 % and open condition and sub plot treatments included three dates of planting viz., 2nd week of August, 2nd week of September and 2nd week of October. The pooled analysis of three years data showed that, Indigofera tinctoria can perform well in 25 per cent shaded condition with the highest herbage yield of 5498 kg/ha followed by open condition (5150 kg/ha). The herbage yield decreased significantly with increase in shade. August or September planting recorded higher herbage yield (5279 kg/ha in August planting and 5246 kg/ha in September planting). The quality of Indigofera, as indicated by content of glycoside indican, was higher in plants grown under open condition and 25 per cent shaded condition (59.12 and 58.83 kg/ha, respectively). Interaction effect of shade levels and planting dates indicated that Indigofera can be planted either in August or in September under open to 25 per cent shaded condition for getting maximum herbage yield and quality. Keywords: Neel, Indigofera tinctoria, Growing conditions, Shade tolerance, Planting dates, Indican Manuscript received : 28 March, 2018 Manuscript accepted : 17 December, 2018 Introduction:

and also as herbal medicine (Ellison, 1999).

Neel (Indigofera tinctoria L.) is a medicinal

Being a leguminous crop, it improves the

plant

scale

fertility of soil through nitrogen fixation and

commercial cultivation (Ved and Goraya,

hence suitable for growing as a pure crop in

2007). The plant belongs to the family

marginal lands, catch crop in rice fallows or

Leguminosae and sub family Papilionaceae.

as intercrop in plantation crops. The plant

In many countries of the world from cool

exhibits antitoxic, haemostatic, sedative

temperate to tropical climate, it is grown as

properties and are useful in the treatment of

ornamental, for production of indigo dye

piles, healing of ulcers, dropsy. The roots,

recommended

for

large

12

(OAJMAP 2018) stems and leaves are useful for promoting

The experiment laid out in split plot

hair growth, treating chronic bronchitis,

design, replicated thrice, with three shade

asthma

and

levels assigned to main plots (25 per cent

Vaidyanathan, 1996). In Ayurvedic system

shade, 50 per cent shade and open condition)

of medicine, Indigofera tinctoria is used as a

and three dates of planting in sub plots

major

(planting in 2nd week of August, 2nd week of

and

ulcers

ingredient

of

(Warier

“Neelibhringadi

September and 2nd week of October).

thailam”, “Neeli thulasiadi thailam” and “Neeli thulasiadi kashayam”. Since changes

The experimental area was ploughed

in growing conditions and planting dates can

and levelled thoroughly. Subplots were

greatly influence the yield and quality

prepared with a plot size of 4.5 m x 2.4 m.

parameters, an experiment was conducted to

One month old seedlings were transplanted

assess the effect of shade levels and planting

at a spacing of 45 cm x 30 cm. Farm yard

dates on herbage yield and quality of Neel

manure @10 t/ha was applied as basal dose.

(Indigofera tinctoria).

Leaves were harvested from third month

Materials and methods

onwards with a total of four cuts at 45 days

Experiments were conducted during

interval. Indican content of leaves at the

2012 - 13, 2013 - 14 and 2014 - 15 under All

time

of

first

harvest

was

estimated

India Coordinated Research Project on

spectrophotometrically at 280 nm (Wu et al.

Medicinal, Aromatic plants and Betel vine,

1999) and expressed as indicant yield

Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur,

(kg/ha). The three year data were subjected

Kerala, India. The experimental site lied

to analysis of variance using the statistical

between 13° 32'N latitude and 76° 26'E

package ‘MSTAT - C’ (Freed 2006).

longitude at an elevation of about 40 m from

Results and discussion

MSL and had a typical humid tropical

Herbage yield

climate. The soil was lateritic sandy loam of

Herbage yields of 5402 kg/ha, 5304

the Oxisol group with 47.8% sand, 20.8%

kg/ha and 5487 kg/ha during 1st, 2nd and 3rd

silt, 31.1% clay, 0.5% organic carbon,

years of study were observed under 25 per

236.7kg/ha available N, 32.5kg/ha available

cent shaded condition and these was on par

P, 230.1kg/ha available K and was acidic in

with fully open condition during 1st and

reaction with a pH of 5.5.

3rdyear of experimentation (Table 1). Pooled

13

(OAJMAP 2018) analysis of three year data showed the

(Tables 1 and 2). This might be due to the

superiority of 25 percent shade level

effect of light on synthesis of indicant.

(herbage yield of 5498 kg/ha) and fully open

Influence

condition

improving

secondary metabolites in senna (Senna

herbage yield. The herbage yield decreased

angustifolia) was reported by Raju et al.

significantly with increase in shade level to

(2013).

50 %. As per Saravanan et al. (2008),

tried, August or September planting resulted

herbage yield of Andrographis paniculata, a

in higher indicant yield, whereas it was

medicinal plant grown for herbage varied

statistically inferior in October planting

significantly

under

(pooled mean of 57.01 and 55.92 kg/ha

conditions.

Among

(5150

kg/ha)

open

in

and

different

shaded

dates

of

of

light

on

production

of

Among different planting dates

respectively)..

planting, August or September planting

The interaction effect of shade levels

recorded higher herbage yield in all the three

and planting dates on indican yield revealed

years (Table 2). Pooled analysis also showed

that planting Indigofera under fully open to

same trend. Interaction between shade levels

25 per cent shaded condition during the

and planting dates was also significant. Crop

month of August or September will be ideal

planted either in August or in September

for getting maximum quality. According to

under 25 per cent shaded condition recorded

Morison and Lawlor, (1999), seasonal

the highest herbage during all the years of

changes, external conditions such as light,

experimentation (Table 3).

temperature

Indican yield (kg/ha)

composition of secondary metabolites in

The quality of Indigofera tinctoria

and

humidity

affect

medicinal plants.

measured as glycoside indican was highly

From the experiment, it may be

influenced by shade level and dates of

concluded that Indigofera tinctoria can be

planting. The content of indican was on par

planted under fully open to 25 per cent

in plants grown under open condition and 25

shaded condition during the months of

per cent shaded condition (59.12 and 58.83

August or September for better yield and

kg/ha respectively). The indican content

quality.

decreased significantly when plants were subjected to 50 per cent shaded condition

14

(OAJMAP 2018) Saravanan, R., Krishti, S., Gajbhiye, N.A.

Acknowledgements The authors hereby acknowledge the financial

assistance

the

intensity on gas exchange, herbage

Directorate of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants

yield and andrographolide content in

Research,

Andrographis paniculata.

Anand,

extended

Gujarat

by

and Maiti, S. 2008. Influence of light

and

Kerala

Indian

Agricultural University for the research

Journal of Horticulture 65(2): 220-

facilities.

225.

Ved, D.K. and Goraya, G.S. 2007. Demand

References Ellison, D. 1999. Cultivated Plants of the

and Supply of Medicinal Plants in

World: Trees, Shrubs, Climbers.

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Health

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Warier, P.S. and Vaidyanathan. 1996. India

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Interactions between increasing CO2 concentration and temperature on

Wu, E., Komolpis, K. and Wang, H. Y.

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22:659-82.

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Indigofera

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on

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15

while

567-9.

(OAJMAP 2018) Table 1. Effect of shade levels on herbage yield and quality of Neel (Indigofera tinctoria) Herbage yield (kg/ha) Shade level

Indican yield (kg/ha)

1st

2nd

3rd

Pooled

year

year

year

mean

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

Pooled mean

25 %

5402

5304

5787

5498

57.75

53.68

65.39

58.83

50 %

4448

4481

5057

4662

41.81

43.06

49.71

44.80

Open

5010

4957

5482

5150

58.57

54.73

64.19

59.12

CD(0.05)

476.6

211.3 614.8

184.4

4.80

6.20

7.60

8.0

Table 2. Effect of planting dates on herbage yield and quality of Neel (Indigofera tinctoria) Herbage yield (kg/ha)

Indican yield (kg/ha)

Planting 1st

2nd

3rd

Pooled

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

Pooled mean

year

year

year

mean

5045

5090

5702

5279

53.78

52.02

65.74

57.01

5152

5073

5515

5246

54.97

52.61

61.28

55.92

4663

4481

5109

4784

48.77

45.66

53.03

49.47

315.7

323.2 587.1

176.4

3.79

4.95

4.78

5.02

dates 2nd week of August 2nd week of September 2nd week of October CD(0.05)

16

(OAJMAP 2018)

Table 3. Interaction effect of shade levels and planting dates on herbage yield and quality of Neel (Indigofera tinctoria) Shade level x Herbage yield (kg/ha) planting 1st 2nd 3rd Pooled dates year year year mean nd 25 % x 2 Week of 5568 5484 6037 5696 August 25% x 2nd Week of 5728 5555 6001 5762 September 25 % x 2nd Week of 4910 4877 5321 5036 October 50 % x 2nd Week of 4250 4540 5110 4633 August 50% x 2nd Week of 4683 4617 4990 4764 September 50 % x 2nd Week of 4410 4286 5072 4589 October Open x 2nd Week of 5317 5245 5960 5507 August Open x 2nd Week of 5043 5046 5553 5214 September Open x 2nd Week of 4669 4580 4933 4727 October CD(0.05) 855.0 700.5 733.3 351.3 CV (%) 9.17 7.57 7.11 7.71

17

Indican (%) 1st year 2nd year

3rd year

Pooled mean

61.42

55.94

75.64

64.14

59.00

55.72

69.19

61.19

52.68

49.40

52.31

51.52

38.38

42.09

49.06

43.09

45.89

44.92

49.40

46.73

41.32

42.13

50.72

44.65

63.27

58.74

74.32

65.31

60.01

57.17

63.14

60.12

52.62

48.55

55.74

52.28

10.30 5.52

13.60 7.54

13.30 6.31

6.80 6.85