Safed Musli by Kisan Forum Pvt. Ltd.

Safed Musli

Satyabrata Maiti Director

and K.A. Geetha Senior Scientist National Research Centre for Medicinal

and Aromatic Plants (NRCMAP) Boriavi, Anand, Gujarat 387 310

Hi<p:3B T

ICAR

Published by

Directorate of Information and Publications of Agriculture

Indian Council of Agricultural Research Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan I, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012

Printed : January 2009

Project Director (DtPA) : Dr T.P. Trivedi

Incharge, English Editorial Unit : Dr R.P, Sharma Editing : Som Dutt Chief Production Officer : V.K. Bharti Technical Officer (Production) : Anil Kumar Seth

Incharge (Art Unit) : B.C. Mazumder Senior Artist : Narender Bahadur

ISBN : 978-81-7164-091-1

Price : Rs 125.00

Published by Dr T.P. Trivedi, Project Director, Directorate of Information and Publications of Agriculture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi 110 012. Typeset at M/s Print-O-World, 2579, Mandir Lane, Shadipur, New Delhi 110 008, and printed at M/s Print Process, 225, DSIDC Complex, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase I, New Delhi 110 020

Contents 1.

Introduction

Origin and Diversity in Species

Conservation Biology

Cytology

Safed Musliâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Raw Drug

Chemistry

Plant Genetic Resources

Reproductive Biology

Crop Improvement

10. Cultivation and Crop Management Soil and Climate Propagation Micropropagation Nursery Preparation and Sowing Land Preparation Time and Method of Planting Mulching Manuring Irrigation and Intercultural Operations Weed Control Intercropping Disease and Insect Pest Management Crop Rotation Harvesting

Economics of Cultivation Marketing Training for Cultivation

Future Research Priorities Success Story References

1 Introduction

musli mainly comprises three species. They are: Chlorophytum tuberosum Baker, C. arundinaceum Baker and C. borivilianum Sant. & Fernand. Its fasciculated (fleshy) roots are used as a good source of raw drugs. It has aphrodisiac properties as mentioned in ayurvedic text, and is used for preparation of vital tonics to cure general debility. However, Asparagus adscendens Roxb. is also traded as safed musli, confusing its users in the trade. Of the three species (Fig. 1), C. borivilianum is commercially most important. It has been systematically studied over the last two decades in India. The tribal people in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh use its leaves as leafy green vegetable. The C. borivilianum is naturally distributed in the forest areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. In nature, plants of C. borivilianum grow in a wide range of places, from the open rocky places to shady and highly humus rich soil of the forest. The produce collected from forests are major source of raw material for drug industry as well as planting material for its cultivation. It is being commercially cultivated in central India for last 20 years and has spread up to South India in recent years because of its high profitability. At present, its dried fleshy roots fetch an attractive market price (Rs 500-1,000/kg). AFED

2 Origin and Diversity in Species genus, Chlorophytum Ker. which comes under the tribe Asphodele, is and subtropical regions of the world. In Genera Plantarum, Bentham and Hooker (1880) reported its 40 species distributed in Asia, tropical Africa, America and Australia. Hooker and Jackson (1836) in Index Kewensis mentioned 300 species, and tropical and subtropical Africa being the centre of origin of its genus, where about 85% of the species are distributed. Kirtikar and Basu (1918) reported that 75 species are distributed in warmer parts of the world. Forty species of Chlorophytum have been reported by Hooker (1894), which are found in tropical and subtropical regions. He raised his doubt on status of C. acaule Baker, indicating that it may be form of C. laxum. The species are most difficult to circumscription owing to great variability in their leaves and robustness of scapes and racemes. Characteristic features of 11 species, viz. C. heyneanum Wall; C. breviscapum Dalz., C. arundinaceum Baker, C. glaucum Dalz., C. tuberosum Baker, C. khasianum Hooker, C. attenuatum Baker, C. malabaricum Baker, C. undulatum Wall; syn. C. nepalense (Lindl) Baker, C. orchidastrum Lindl and C. laxum Br. as described by Hooker (1894) are presented in Table 1. Thirteen species of Chlorophytum are reported from India by Shariff and Chennaveeraiah (1972). Of them, C. tuberosum, C. arundinaceum, C. laxum, C. borivilianum, C. breviscapum, C. attenuatum and C. malabaricum are commonly found. The genus Chlorophytum is characterized by flat leaves, four or more ovules in ovary and with three-winged fruits. The important species distributed in Gujarat (Shah, 1978) may be identified by: 1. Plants with fasciculated roots, scapes up to 30 cm long 1.1 Fasciculated roots attached at the ends of fiberous roots (C. tuberosum) 1.2 Fasciculated roots are sessile (C. borivilianum) 2. Plants without fasciculated roots, scapes up to 10 cm long (C. malabaricum) Aundhe and Deokule (2001) identified and classified 10 species (C. r I â&#x20AC;&#x2122;HE

JL distributed in tropical

Longer than the smaller flowers

Oblanceolate, 30.48-45.72 cm x 2.544.45 cm

Bract

Leaves

Oblanceolate, 30.48 cm x 1.90-3.17 cm

Linear lanceolate, broadly petiolate, margin crispulate, 15.24-45.72 cm x 3.815.08 cm

Shorter than 0.64-1.27 the flowers cm

7.62-15.24 15.24-50.80 30.48-60.96 cm, longer cm, shorter cm, tall, than leaves, than leaves, naked 2-3 sheathed naked, rarely branched

1.30-2.54 cm, shorter than leaves, naked

Scape

As long as Shorter than Small, ovate flowers, pedicels membranous

Recurved Linear, 25.40-45.72 usually, cm x 1.27- 15.24-30.48 cm x 0.642.54 cm, 2.54 cm, slightly narrowed narrowed at the base from the sheathing base to the apex

Ensiform falcately recurved, 25.40-60.96 cm x 0.641.27 cm, linear flat

Recurved,

Oblanceolate, obtuse acute or acuminate, 30.48-45.72 cm x 2.545.08 cm '

narrowly lanceolate, 20.32-60.96 cm x 1,671.91 cm, margins crisped

Ovate, acuminate

Shorter than the flowers

0.64-1.95 cm, white

Elliptic, lanceolate 30.48-60.96 cm x 3.81-10.16 cm

30.48-91.44 30.48-91.44 cm, naked, cm, naked, paniculately paniculately branched branched

91.44-121.92 cm, simple, short, stout naked

60.96-91.44 Long, erect, cm, tall, naked naked, simple or branched

Linear, 15.24-45.72 cm x 0.641.91 cm, narrowed to the base

Deccan peninsula, Konkan to Travancore

Subtropical Himalaya, Sikkim

Western Ghats

Khasi hills Western Ghats

C. orchidas trum

C.malabaricum

C.undulatum

C.attenuaturn

C.khasianum

Green

15.24-91.44 cm, short or tall with small sheath

Deccan peninsula and Central India, Konkan to Travancore

Konkan, Ghats

Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim, Assam

Sikkim, Himalaya, The Konkan, Malwa

The Deccan Peninsula, Nilgiri Hills

Distribution

C.tuberosum

C.glaucum

C.arundinaceum

C.heyneanum

Character

C.breviscapum

Table 1. Characters of Chlorophytum spp. described by Hooker (1894)

Strongly recurved, 15.24-30.48 cm x 0.64â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 1.91 cm, grass like or conduplicate or flat, rigid

Lanceolate, equal to the pedicels

2.54-30.48 cm, filiform, flexuous, suberect or arched

Deccan peninsula, from Konkan southwards

C.laxum

< m

9 > z

Shorter than As long as Longer than Shorter than filaments the filaments the filaments the filaments, papillous filaments, anthers twisted after flowering

Anther

â&#x20AC;˘

0.64-0.84 cm, joined above the middle

0.42-0.64 cm, joined near the tip

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

0.64-1.27 cm, joined in the middle

1.27-1.68 cm, oblong

C.tuberosum

0.64 cm, joined above the middle

Anthers as long as the papillose filaments, recurved finally revolute stamens much shorter than the perianth

0.42 cm, joined below the middle

Long, dense Short, simple and shortly flowered, 15.24-30.48 branched cm, unbranched

0.64-0.84 cm, white

Pedicel

Elongate, simple or shortly branched

0.84-1.27 cm, lanceolate, white

Short, dense Dense flowered flowered, 7.62-12.70 cm

0.84-1.27 cm, linear oblong

Raceme

C.glaucum

0.64 cm, narrowly lanceolate

C.arundinaceum

Tepal

C.breviscapum

C.heyneanum

Character

contd.

.....

Table 1. Charaters of

C.khasia-

Rarely forked lax or dense flowered, 7.62-10.16 cm

0.84-1.27 cm, white

C.attenuaturn

Longer than filaments, elongate straight

Straight longer than papillose filaments

Joined 0.42-0.84 cm, erect about joined above the middle the middle

Dense flowered, 15.2425.40 cm

1.27 cm, White, linear oblong

num

0.84-1.68 cm, joined at or below the middle

Flowers drooping, solitary or in groups

0.84 cm; long

Shorter than Twice as filaments, long as straight filaments, anthers straight after flowering

Joined above the middle

Short or long

0.84 cm, long

C.undulatum

C.malaba-

ricum

0.84-1.27 cm, joined about the middle

Flowers in distant pairs

0.84 cm, white

trum

C. orchidas-

Didymous, many times shorter than the filaments, anthers green

Joined in middle

Flowers minute

0.42-0.64 cm, white

C.laxum

> T1

C.heyneanum

1.27, 8-10 seeded Oblong celled

Tuberous

Character

Capsule

Root fibres

Table 1. Charaters of

Tuberous

0.84 cm, 1-3 seeded broad orbicular Or obcordate celled

C.breviscapum

contd.

.....

Cylindrical

8.84 cm, 3-4 seeded,' orbicular celled, two lobed at the tip and base

C.arundinaceum

Cylindrical

2-4 seeded, suborbucular celled capsule, 0.64-0.84 cm, broad, top two lobed

C.glaucum

0.84-1.27

C.khasianum

Cylindrical and tuberous

Cylindrical often tuberous Cylindrical, fleshy

1-2 seeded, very small broadly obcordate celled, 0.64 cm broad, tip deeply 2-lobed

Cylindrical

2-3 seeded, broad 3-dymous small celled, 0.64-0.84 cm broad, top 3-lobed

latum

ricum

turn

0.84 cm

C.undu-

C.malaba-

C.attenua-

cm long, cm long, broad 4-6 seeded, 4-6 seeded, 3每1 seeded, oblong rarely oblong celled, small broadly orbicular two lobed obcordate refuse celled capsule celled capsule capsule

0.84-1.27

C.tuberosum

Tuberous

1-seeded, broad small capsule, 0.84 cm dia. broader than length, two lobed at the tip

C. orchidastrum

Tuberous

obcordate celled, 0.64 dia.

1-4 seeded, broadly

C.laxum

m co

(

0 "O

> z

SAFED MUSLI

borivilianum, C. bharuchae, C. orchidastrum, C. arundinaceum, C. glaucum, C. attenuatum, C. glaucoides, C. breviscapum, C. laxum and C. tuberosum) from Maharashtra, on the basis of their root morphology. The C. borivilianum is a comparatively new species described first in 1955 from Krishnagiri National Park, Borivili, Salsette Island by Santapau and Fernandes. During the course of their study at Krishnagiri National Park, Borivili, Salsette Island, the authors came across a monsoon plant, which was distinctly different from the known Chlorophytum species at that time. The specimen from Borivili was compared with all the available species reported from India, which did not match to any of the available specimens described earlier. Among Indian species, the new species was close to C. tuberosum, C.attenuatum and C. malabaricum. However, these differ from C. borivilianum in pattern of fleshy roots development. In C. tuberosum, C.attenuatum and C. malabaricum, fleshy roots develop from plant base and attached through string like root, while in C. borivilianum, fleshy roots developed directly from . the plant base. The C. tuberosum is almost similar in above the ground appearance of vegetative parts (leaves) and in size of flowers but the anthers are revolute. The C.attenuatum is also similar in vegetative parts, but its flowers are smaller and anthers are much longer than short filaments. The C.malabaricum differs in appearance with C. borivilianum with its smaller size, dense inflorescence and flowers are smaller. Filaments in.C. borivilianum are longer than anthers. The description for the species given by Santapau and Fernandes (1955) (g as follows: Roots are fascicled, sessile, cylindrical or ellipsoidal, 1-9 in number, increasing in number and size with the age of plants, reddish to brown outside, up to 50 mm x 8 mm. Leaves are radical, up to 8 in number, often fewer, 12-18 x 1.5 cm, spirally imbricate at the base, sessile, linear lorate or ensiform, acute flat or conduplicate, slightly or not at all narrowed at the base and apex, spreading horizontally or recurved, often twisted, coriaceous, smooth, margins hyaline and wavy, veins parallel, equidistant and depressed. Scapes are usually solitary, occasionally double, 16-30 cm long, terminal usually unbranched bearing flowers in the upper one third or half of their length. Flowers are white, 2.5 cm in diameter, bracteate, pedicellate, usually in alternate clusters each of which consists of three flowers, cluster being close in upper, rather distant in lower part of scape; bracts linear and acute to triangular and acuminate, papery, purplish, up to 2 cm long, persistent; pedicels whitish, joined and kneed at the joint, 6-10 mm long, disarticulating at the joint, lower part of the pedicel, i.e. below the joint, trigonous, persistent and 2-5 mm long, the part above the joint, cylindric, elongating in fruit, falling off with the flower or fruit. Perianth consisting of two heteromorphous series; segments divergent in flower; outer segments sepaloid, linear-elliptic, acute, mediantly grooved, 3-4 nerved, the nerves being clear in dry specimens 1.5-1.8 cm x 0.3 cm in size; inner segments petaloid, oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, obtuse and apiculate, flat to shallowly concave, 3-4 nerved, 1.7-2 cm x 0.4 cm. Stemens 6, spreading or divergent like perianth segments in flower, nearly as long as inner perianth segments, 1.4 cm long; filaments glabrous, broader at the base, twice as long

ORIGIN AND DIVERSITY IN SPECIES

< PI

PHT

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SSÿV'-w *, 7-

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mej Fig. 1.

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4 .A

(a) Habit of C. tuberosum, (b) inflorescence of C. tuberosum, (c) Habit of C. arundinaceum, (d) Inflorescence of C. arundinaceum, (e) Habit of C. borivilianum, (f) Inflorescenc of C. borivilianum

SAFED MUSLI

* V

ÂŤr

a it

ÂŤt

4 a;

11s%

/ mF c

d :

* / y

e Fig. 2.

(a) Flower of C. arundinaceum, (b) Flower of C. borivilianum, (c) Diplotene stage of C. arundinaceum showing n = 21 bivalents, (d) Diplotene stage of C. borivilianum showing n = 14 bivalents, (e) Fleshy roots of (i) C. arundinaceum (ii) C. borivilianum, (f) FIPTLC chemical profile of (i) C. arundinaceum (ii) C. borivilianum

as stamens and some what curved. Anther 2-celled, open by longitudinal split. Style exserted, of the same as the perianth, slightly curved at apex, 2 cm long;

ORIGIN AND DIVERSITY IN SPECIES

ovary 3-lobed, green, globose, 2 mm long, sessile. Fruit is loculicidal capsule, green to yellow, triquetrous to 3-sulcate, obcordate, 5-6 mm x 6.8 mm size. Seed is orbicular to coffee-bean- shaped, discoid, black, 1-3 in each cell, up to 3mm

diameter.

Comparative study of C. arundinaceum and C. borivilianum attempted by Maiti and Geetha (unpublished) shows that gross morphology of both the species are similar, however, C.arundinaceum is more vigorous in growth (Fig. 1 and 2). In C. borivilianum, growth season is from mid-May to October, after that aerial parts of plants dry up and plant undergoes dormancy, while in C. arundinaceum, aerial parts are alive throughout the year. Stomata is absent in upper epidermis of C. borivilianum, while they are present in C. arundinaceum, which could be correlated to the distribution pattern of C. borivilianum, i.e. in arid zone. Chromosome number of C. arundinaceum is 2n = 6x = 42, i.e. hexaploid and in C. borivilianum, it is 2n= 4x = 28, i.e. tetraploid. Inflorescence is usually unbranched in C. borivilianum, while branching is common in C. arundinaceum. Flower size is smaller in C.arundinaceum than that of C. borivilianum. Outer tepal is 1.38 cm x 0.32 cm in C. borivilianum and 0.89 cm x 0.3 cm in C. arundinaceum. Inner tepal is 1.4 cm x 0.49 cm in C. borivilianum and 0.94 cm x 0.39 cm in C. arundinaceam. Anther length is 1.44 cm and filament length is 0.78 in C. borivilianum, while it is 0.3 cm and 1.02 cm, respectively, in C. arundinaceum. Both the species also differ in stamen arrangement and anther size. Arrangement of stamen is reflexed type in C. borivilianum, while it is closely packed in C. arundinaceum. Fleshy root is creamy-white in C.arundinaceum, while it is brown to creamy white in C. borivilianum. Photosynthetic rate (pmole C02/m2/sec) is more in C. arundinaceum (10.52) than that in C. borivilianum (7.36) and trend of respiration rate (pmole C02/m2/sec) is in the opposite way (1.26 in C. borivilianum and 0.86 in C. arundinaceum).

Saponin profile studied by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) showed similar chemical profile in both the species. Eight easily observable bands are present in both the species.

3 Conservation Biology r I 'HE plant

of C. borivilianum regenerates in nature both by vegetative as well roots are used as raw drug in preparation of medicines. The collection of fleshy roots from wild habitats has created a pressure on survival of the species in nature. Mostly fleshy roots are collected just after flowering, before setting of seeds, causing threat to natural regeneration. Unscrupulous collection of its plant from its wild habitat has threatened this species in India (Nayar and Sastry, 1988). In late nineties, it became favourite to herbal drug industry in India. Its commercial cultivation became very popular among farmers in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. About 15,000 ha area is under its cultivation.

_L as sexual means. Fleshy

In natural habitats, plant perennates by its underground condensed stem disc and a bunch of fleshy roots that sprout on first onset of monsoon. The shoots come out along with inflorescence buds. Many a times, there are second or third flushes of flowering. Fruits are capsules which mature within 45-50 days. On maturity, capsule shatters longitudinally, releasing seeds for dispersal. Maturity of capsules is non-synchronous due to staggered flower opening in inflorescence. The above-ground parts of plants wither during OctoberNovember.

The underground portion, which contains condensed stem disc with dormant buds and fleshy roots, remains in dormancy for about 7-8 months. Stem disc as an important part, plays direct role in vegetative reproduction (Bordia and Jat, 1990a). Seeds also have dormancy of about 10 months and they germinate in the germination varies from 11 to 62%. It is 11-24% in Rajasthan (Jat and Bordia, 1990), 13% in one-year-old seeds in Gujarat (Dalai et al., 1987); 28-62% in Indore (Trivedi and Yadav, 1989). The reason for variation in seed germinability is not yet clearly understood and needs further in-depth investigation. Shrivastava et al. (2001) has reported 25-30% germination in C. borivilianum and 32-40% in C. tuberosum. Although poor next monsoon season. The

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