My Experiences and Experiments with the wonder crop Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum)

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

I am fortunate that as a native to Chhattisgarh, I got opportunities to work on different aspects of wonder crop Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) in Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh is the only state in the world where this wonder crop is under cultivation in largest area. The natural forests of the state are full of different wild species of Safed Musli and since time immemorial the traditional healers and natives are collecting and utilising these valuable species in treatment of many common diseases. Its use as aphrodisiac and sex tonic is most common and popular. The commercial cultivation of Safed Musli was first started in 1994 in Chhattisgarh. The innovative herb growers of the state bought the planting material from neighbouring Maharastra state in small quantity. They were not aware of scientific package of practices for its commercial cultivation. In fact, at that time, the Safed Musli, as medicinal crop was very new to the farmers and experts around the globe. Before this introduction, for me Safed Musli was just natural herb that can be seen in every forest during rainy season.

From beginning, the innovative herb growers have given me chance to conduct the detailed experiments in their fields in order to search the methods to increase both quality and production. I was associated with them as expert for technical guidance. As mentioned earlier, at that time no details were there, I tried to adopt the principles of root crop Agronomy. In order to learn from mother nature’s experiments, I decided to visit nearby forests, rich in natural population of different wild species of Safed Musli, very frequently. From nature’s experiments, I have got many valuable information on best soil , climate and other factors, that plays vital roles in converting the simple herb into herb with rich medicinal properties. With the help of innovative herb growers I replicated the nature’s micro environment (not perfectly, as no one can mimic the nature), in crop fields and as a result, we got best quality Safed Musli roots. From replicating nature’s experiments, we improved the quality, which goes down due to domestication and commercial cultivation but failed to achieve the target of production. In Nature’s experimental fields, there is no role for production particularly in the field of herb. This is the human being who want to get more and more production and this more production, affects the quality to the great extent. Now the researchers have proved the fact that the herbs collected from nature are many times superior as compared to cultivated ones (regardless to the claim that it is grown by adopting hi-fi technology) and in international drug markets, the herbs from wild origin fetches three times higher price, as compared to cultivated counterparts. From last two to three years, many Indain research organisations have started research programmes to develop package of practices for this wonder crop. I got opportunities to visit many such organisations active in different corners of India. This is a bitter fact that most of researchers handling these programmes have focused their attentions on increasing the production. They are not aware about the fact that the Musli roots having no or less medicinal properties fetch very low or throw away prices and no one is ready to buy this material in national and international drug markets. In local markets where the buyers have no facility of advanced research laboratories, one can fool them at once only but when these buyers (mainly the mediators) will get harsh feedback from national buyers, no one will buy it again from you.

This particular information is very valuable for the beginners that are planning to enter in attractive looking field of Safed Musli production and marketing. The researchers giving emphasis on increasing the production are not engaged in this field from very long time. Most of them were engaged in research on commercial crops like wheat, rice potato, maize etc, where increasing production is the main target. When I asked these researchers, what will happen to the quality, in cost of quantity ? They replied that they have tested the saponin content of produce and it is near to the produce collected from nature. How much? It is 3-4 percent, they replied. In natural Musli the percentage of Saponin varies between 2-17 percent. The high yielding Musli varieties having 3-4 percent saponin, is of no value, the traders at international market told me. Unfortunately, the researchers are not ready to accept this fact. And one should underline this sentence that Saponin is not the only natural chemical responsible for the medicinal properties of Safed Musli. To prove this, I conducted a small experiment with my biochemist friend. In this experiment, we isolated the saponin and tested the efficacies of remaining solution, with the help of traditional healers. Even without this natural chemical, the solution perform good as medicine. The scientists and researchers have no confirmation that whether alone saponin acts as medicine or in presence of other chemicals (present in Musli roots) it shows miracle medicinal effects.

Through this article, I would like to request the researchers engaged in phytochemistry research, to focus their research on this important aspect. I am seeing the many recent publications on commercial cultivation of Safed Musli. This is very shocking (at least for me) that scientists and researchers are recommending the heavy doses of chemical fertilizers and other inorganic inputs in commercial cultivation. I would like to repeat this fact more and more times, the mother nature never use the synthetic fertilizers and other chemicals to produce best (No.1) quality of Musli. Why our researchers are not ready to realise this fact ? Although it is long process and requires a lot of patience, but by understanding the nature’s input, used for production of Musli in nature’s field, we can get best quality Musli. I am shocked that our direction of research is wrong and we are wasting our energy and money. Yes, I am critisizing the researchers, with hope that after reading this article, they will try to start thinking on this important aspect. To identify the best soil suitable for commercial production of best quality Safed Musli, we have conducted one more experiment. We selected the herb growers living nearer to forest, rich in natural population of wild species. For cultivation, we visited the forest and collected the soil in bulk from Musli herb area. At first, we grew Musli in small plot using this forest soil. Simultaneously, it is also cultivated using original soil (common in that region). We analysed the produce in our laboratory and for real confirmation, we gave it to the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh specialised in use of Safed Musli. The sources of these two samples were not disclosed to them. In our laboratory test, we got relatively higher saponin in produce obtained from Musli cultivated using forest soil. But the most reliable information came from the healers. They clearly declared the Musli cultivated in forest soil as the best. Some times when my farmers, suggest me to pressurise the governmental organisation to establish an advanced research laboratory in Raipur. I reply to them, there is no authentic and promising substitute to our traditional healers and even advanced research labs can not deny the judgement of these healers. For international buyers, yes, it is necessary to provide analysis report because they may not rely on our living legends.

Last year, I attended one day workshop organised by National Medicinal Plant Board in my home town. During interactions and discussions with the scientists from a reputed organisation, when I got reply from them that the scientists know better than the traditional healers and the farmers should believe only on scientists not on the healers, I was shocked. This ‘ego’ of our scientific community is becoming a curse for our country. I am not agree with them. As an alternative to chemical inputs, with the help of innovative herb grower, I have developed many organic solutions. Before describing these, I am completing the details of experiments in which the forest soil is used. As it is not possible for every growers, to collect the soil from forest every year and in bulk, with the help of soil scientists, we are trying to analysis these medicated soil and we are already in process of developing a replica of this. We have found that the residues of leachates and extracts of herbs found in surroundings of Safed Musli herbs in natural conditions. These leachates and extracts, play a vital role in enriching the soil. We have evaluated the effects of these leachates and extracts on the growth and yield of Safed Musli crop cultivated in controlled conditions. If you have ever visited the Musli rich area in natural forest, you must have observed the nature’s specific arrangement of herbs in particular area. I am talking about this specific arrangement because this contributes a lot in making the soil rich. The innovative herb growers are convinced with me and this is really surprising that they try their best to collect the forest soil in small quantity and spread it in fields, prior to sowing of Safed Musli crop. As Agronomist, I am aware of same practice done in crop fields where farmers sow the pulse crop for the first time. They collect the soil from fields having engaged in cultivation of pulse crops and spread this beneficial nitrogen fixing bacteria rich soil in same manner. For cultivation, the Musli species Chlorophytum borivilianum is preferred. In Chhattisgarh, I have not seen its natural population. Naturally it occurs in Gir forest of Gujarat state. As herb expert, I have got opportunities to see and study all species of Safed Musli in different corners of India. As the socalled good species, is not found in natural forests of Chhattisgarh, the traditional healers use other common species like Chlorophytum tuberosum, Chlorophytum arundinaceum etc. They are using it as medicine since generations. When Chlorophytum borivilianum introduced for the first time in Chhattisgarh, I distributed some dried samples to the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh in order to know their expert opinion. They were impressed by the colour and size of roots but in terms of medicinal properties they found it at par. I was not in favour of the introduction of Chlorophytum borivilianum in Chhattisgarh but the false dream of great returns motivated the farmers to start its commercial cultivation. As herb expert, I am confident that regional wild species can be commercialised in same manner after systematic research. The forest soil farmers are using to increase the medicinal properties of Chlorophytum borivilianum, is collected nearer to the regional wild species. This is good to observe that one component of nature is supporting and enhancing the growth of other components originated in region far from regional wild species.

I am in favour of organic cultivation of medicinal and aromatic crops. Through my experiments, I have found that with the help of organic cultivation, one can eliminate the harmful effects of commercial cultivation to the great extent. The Safed Musli growers of the state, particularly my farmers are growing this herb organically. With the help of Allelopathy, Agrohomoeopathy and ancient methods like cow urine therapy, we are using organic inputs to fulfil the nutrient requirement of crop. As you know, Chhattisgarh is well known for its hot summer. During hot summer, in general farmers do not cultivate any crop. In fallow lands, where we have to sow Safed Musli crop in coming season, we adopt soil solarization technique in order to destroy the dormant weed seeds, pathogens and eggs of insects present in soil. An eminent weed scientist Dr. N. T. Yaduraju has done a great work in this field. In general, the black coloured polythene sheets are spread on field during the noon of hot summer for three to four hours. The black coloured sheets absorb the heat and warm the soil enough to destroy the weed seeds and pests. We have found this method very effective in case of Safed Musli cultivation. The presence of weeds in Safed Musli fields cause great damage at its roots try to penetrate the Musli roots, that is having great economical value. In many cases, the cracks resulted from penetration of weed roots facilitates an entry point for the fungus and other harmful creatures. Weedicides may be promising alternatives but the use of weedicides is not permitted in organic farming. This is also a bare fact that not much work has been done on this important aspect, by the weed scientists of India. As organic input farm yard manure and Neem cake are used in abundance. Only well rotten manures are used as undecomposed manures serve as the source of termite infestation in Musli crop. In areas where the termites cause nuisance, the farmers prefer to kill the queen living in termite mounds. In my previous articles, I have written a lot on traditional medicinal uses of termite queen as medicine and as food. We have also observed that presence of many herb like Dhikuar (Aloe vera), Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) repel away the harmful termites from main field. I always instruct the farmers, to plant Aloe vera herbs on mounds, in order to repel away the termites present inside the mounds. If you are beginner, please take enough precaution to restrict the entry of this harmful creatures in crop fields. I have seen complete crop failure and loss of lakhs rupees, due to heavy infestation of termites in Safed Musli fields in Chhattisgarh. In order to promote the growth and to repel away the harmful insects, my farmers are using Green Spray successfully. In this Green Spray, the mixture of cow urine and fresh cow dung are used. Through my allelopathic studies, I have identified many herbal extracts and leachates that can be added in Green Spray to make it more useful and strong. The Green spray at lower concentrations, promote the growth of Safed Musli. We have not observed its harmful effect on standing crop. During first two three years, we have not seen any diseases or insect attacking this costly crop but now many problems are coming.

Last season, a new leaf spot disease attacked on the Musli crop for the first time .Fortunately, the regular and timely sprays of Green spray checked its further spread, but not we are aware that our war against harmful pests have started and we have to make our arms stronger and stronger. It is general recommendation to spray the Green spray every week till maturity of crop. Through research on Homoeopathic drugs, prepared from common herbs, I have identified many useful drugs that can be sprayed on standing crop as growth promoter (without affecting its quality). Agrohomoeopathy is a new field and very few field trials have been conducted around the world so far. I personally believe that this new branch of science can be a boon for the farmers engaged in commercial cultivation of herbs particularly for those who engaged in organic cultivation. As guard crops, we are using many herbs to protect Safed Musli crop fields from uninvited guests. As guard crops, Genda (Tegetes sp.) Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh). Datura stramonium (Dhatura) etc. are promising. Few years back, I reported the infestation of Orange colured blister beetle Zonabris pustulata on Safed Musli crop. This beetle feeds on flowers. As the collection of seeds, is not important for the farmers, in general farmers ignore the presence of this beetle in Musli crop. As routine practice, the farmers cut away the flowers in order to transfer the food material to developing roots. The blister beetles make this operation easy by eating away the flowers. Although many scientists are not agree that cutting of flowers is beneficial for roots but According to farmers, it is beneficial and this is the reason they are adopting this practice. During my work and research with Safed Musli, I have noted that one must not make compromise in selection of fields for the commercial cultivation. The sloppy lands should be used because water logging due to poor drainage can destroy the crop within no time. A reputed medical practitioner of Bilaspur region have experienced this in ten acres of land. Always prefer the sandy loam to sandy soil for cultivation. Last year, one of my farmers tried to cultivate it in clay soil. They faced losses both in terms of quality and production.

This is a bitter fact that very few herb experts have practical information about commercial cultivation of this high values crop. The number of interested farmers is increasing very rapidly and in absence of experts, the middlemen are cheating the farmers. Safed Musli is a crop for future and there is a tremendous scope in this herb business. Hence, it is very necessary for the governmental and non-governmental organisations to focus their research programmes on this important medicinal crop. (obviously in right direction). Thank you very much for reading the article.