Productivity, soil fertility and economic indicators in Centella asiatica L. production systems in semi-arid India

Abstract

Centella asiatica L. urban is one of the highly traded medicinal crops in the global market and it is collected mainly from wild sources/forests. The scope for commercial cultivation of elite genotypes of C. asiatica at different nutrient levels was assessed based on resource use and economic indicators in open-field and 50% shade in India during 2016–2019. The cumulative productivity in terms of fresh biomass was significantly influenced by genotypes and nutrient levels both in open-field and 50% shade. The genotype Arka Divya genotype was superior in terms of cumulative productivity per ha (38.5 t in open-field and 33.9 t in 50% shade). Application of farmyard manure (FYM) 5 t + 125 kg nitrogen (N) through FYM registered higher cumulative yield in open (32.2 t ha−1) and 50% shade (33.1 t ha−1). The production systems in open and 50% shade maintained optimum to above optimum soil fertility and plant nutrient profile. The net return per rupee investment was higher in Arka Divya genotype at different nutrient levels in open-field (2.61–3.69) as well as 50% shade conditions (1.38–1.96). Integrated application of recommended dose of major nutrients and FYM registered higher net return per rupee investment both in open-field (3.69) and 50% shade (1.96). The elite genotypes of C. asiatica can be grown profitably in open-field or 50% shade with provision of optimum nutrition. Alternatively it can be grown as intercrop in perennial fruit or plantation crops with provision of irrigation to reduce production cost.