Response of ashwagandha [Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) to integrated nutrient management system (INMS)

A field experiment was conducted during the (rainy) kharif season of 2008-09 at Jabalpur to study the effect of INMS on biochemical parameters, alkaloids, yield, nutrient uptake and status of nutrients of ashwagandha. INMS resulted in highest biochemical parameters (chlorophyll ‘a’, chlorophyll ‘b’ and carotenoids), alkaloids (withaferin A, withanoloide A and withanoloide B), yield (seed and root), nutrient uptake (N, P, K, S and Zn) and status of nutrients (N, P, K, S and Zn) were recorded with the application of 50% NPK/ha+5 t FYM+PSB+Azotobacter+5 kg Zn/ha which was at par with 10 t FYM/ha +PSB+Azotobacter 3 kg/ha+5 kg Zn/ha followed by 50% NPK/ha+5 t FYM+PSB +Azotobacter.