National Workshop on Indian Medicinal and Aromatic Plants with special emphasis on Safed Musli, the Millennium Crop : My observations and views

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

As Chairman of organising committee of National workshop on Indian Medicinal and Aromatic plants with special emphasis on Safed Musli, the millennium crop held at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on
11th June, 2003, I was busy from last one month. This National workshop was organised by Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest produce (Trading and Development) Co-operative federation Ltd. , Raipur and SAMPDA (Samagra Adivasi Medicinal Plants Development Association), Kondagaon and Co-sponsored by National Horticulture Board, Gurgaon. This workshop was the first workshop on Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) in the world. Over 30 herb experts and researchers attended this workshop and shared their vast experience on different aspects of Indian medicinal and aromatic plants.

These experts were Dr. Rajendra Gupta, Dr. M.R. Uniyal, Dr. Shinji Takara (Japan), Dr. G. P. Garg, Dr. Sunita Garg, Dr. Gyanendra Pandey, Dr. M.P. Thakur, Dr. Laxminarayan Hegde,Dr. Resina Hansda etc. Over 500 herb growers from different parts of Chhattisgarh participated actively in this National workshop. The Honourable Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh State Mr. Ajit Jogi inaugurated the workshop. The forest minister Mr. D. P. Dhritlahare and President, Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Federation Mr. Rajendra Pambhoi were with the Chief Minister . The
leading Safed Musli grower of India Mr. Raja Ram Tripathi have also shared his experiences with the participants. On second day i.e. 12th June, the interested participants visited the research
farms of SAMPDA where the experiments on different aspects of Indian medicinal and aromatic plants are in progress. All invited speakers gave emphasis on organic cultivation of Safed Musli crop. They unanimously ruled out the use of Chemical inputs (in any form) in Musli production. This is the bitter fact that most of the Safed Musli farmers are using chemical fertilisers and pesticides in order to get higher production. They are giving more emphasis on quantity not on the quality. The speakers informed the participants that the field experiments have shown that Musli crop do not show positive response when more fertilizers are applied. The use of chemical inputs, affects the saponin content drastically. As you know, Saponin is the natural chemical, responsible for the medicinal properties of Safed Musli. The exparts recommended the use of cow dung and cow urine based herbal solutions as input and as plant protection measure. The use
of Genda (Marigold) as guard crop protects the Musli crop from insects and diseases specially the attack of nematodes. Many participants raised the problem of increasing soil borne fungal
infection on Safed Musli roots. The experts suggested that the adoption of crop rotation can solve the problem. One must not take more than four crops of Musli in same land. The rotation
helps in destroying the soil borne fungal species. They also suggested to go for soil solarisation treatment. In India, the Musli farms having the problem of fungal infestation are using
fungicides in excess. This regular and over use is making the pathogenic fungus more and more resistant to these fungicides. The experts gave emphasis on the proper drying and storage of
Musli tubers. Many farmers complained that when they peel off the roots, its colour changes into black and due to this black colour they get very less price in drug markets. According to the
exparts, the discolouration is due to insufficient drying. They suggested them to dry the freshly collected Musli roots in sunlight upto three days and then dry it further in shade. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh informed the experts that they are using Musli roots without peeling. The experts showed ignorance about this and replied that this as new information for
them. For drying, the experts suggested the use of advanced solar driers. The experts and participants also discussed about the common malpractices in Safed Musli production and trade and requested the government officials to take serious actions against the cheaters. They were agree that through systematic approach and planning, India can lead the world in the field of herbs and Musli can be established like Ginseng. One thing I have noted that in India, very few experts are working on this wonder crop. We have invited the leading experts but unfortunately most of them repeated the information already available in reference literatures. The experts were also worrying that the young researchers are not taking keen interest in this wonder crop. I am proud to write that in this field Indian farmers are ahead and with the experiments of these farmers, the scientists are learning. It is not wrong to say that the innovative farmers are engaged in Search and scientists, as always, are engaged in Research. One of the main objectives of this workshop is to provide a forum to scientists, traders, farmers, processors etc. associated with Safed Musli crop. We have achieved this target. In participants-experts interaction session, the special attraction of this workshop, the participants asked many practical questions and got detailed answers from the experts. This session continued upto 2 hours. In near future we are planning to organise one day brain storming interaction in same way. Through this article I would like to request the scientists reading this article to organise such interactive sessions instead of routine lecture sessions where the speakers repeat the same findings with repeated slides. After the formation of Chhattisgarh, the herbal state, this National workshop was the second National event focused on herbs. Fortunately, both events were organised under my guidance and leadership. In the year 2001, I organised the National Research Seminar on Herbal Conservation, Cultivation, Marketing and Utilziation with special emphasis on Chhattisgarh, the Herbal State. This is positive sign that the natives are taking keen interest in these events and as result the number of herb growers is increasing very rapidly.

Thank you very much for reading the article.