Seedling Raising Techniques of Medicinal Herb Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata)

Seedling Raising Techniques of Medicinal Herb Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata)

Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) is an important medicinal herb in India and it is widely used as hepatoprotective, immunomodulator, anti–inflammatory, anti–malarial, anti–diarrhoeal and with beneficial effect on respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Preliminary standardization was done in 2007 with a detailed study in 2008–2009. Optimum numbers of seedlings for transplantation were produced with 3 g seed/m row spaced at 15 cm distance and soil application of 4 kg FYM m2. Nursery beds under shade-net supported better seedling growth. A shed net with 75% light reduction helped in early production of maximum number of seedlings ready for transplanting which would be helpful in preparedness for early monsoon. Hence, nursery beds may be prepared under the 75% shade–net between last week of May and beginning of June with afore mentioned seed rate, spacing and nutrient dose followed by mulching to produce more than 600 and 750 seedlings ready for transplanting from 1m2 area by 35 and 42 days after sowing, respectively