Influence of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on growth, yield and quality of ashwagandha [Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal]

A field experiment was conducted during winter seasons of 2010-11 and 2011-12 to study the effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on growth, yield and quality of ashwagandha var. Jawahar-20. Amongst the applied organic sources of nutrients, farm yard manure (FYM) @ 5 t/ha resulted in maximum growth, yield attributes, yield, quality and net income from ashwagandha. The maximum herbage and root yield from FYM was up to 96.32 and 12.49 q/ha, respectively, with additional net income up to Rs. 39800/ha over biofertilizers. Application of 100% recommended inorganic sources of nutrients (N20P40K20) yielded 98.01 q/ha herbage and 14.02 q/ha roots of ashwagandha with additional net income of Rs. 85600/ha over the control. Thus, FYM was found the most remunerative organic source under the existing agro-climatic conditions of Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh.