Importance of Standard Agronomical practices in commercial cultivation of wonder crop Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) : My experiences.

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

Few hours before writing this article, I was at farmers field. From last week, I am visiting the Safed Musli farms of Chhattisgarh and neighboring states to estimate the lose caused by excessive rainfall in this season. I have observed that the continuous rainfall has damaged many acres of Safed Musli crop. According to my personal estimate over 150 acres of Safed Musli crop is damaged only in Chhattisgarh Plains due to this rainfall. It was very shocking experiences for me because few months back when I was there at farmers fields, the crop was healthy. In most of the areas, due to water logging the crop is destroyed completely. There are many fields where unhealthy and rotted plants are present, but it is very hard to expect good returns from them. The damage to Musli crop due to heavy rainfall is also happened in other parts of India. I am getting many e-mails and letters from the affected farmers. These days I am also visiting the forests regularly. The Safed Musli growing in forests floor is free any type of damage due to excessive rainfall. The nature has placed it in safe place, free from water logging and other related troubles. From these observations, I came to conclusion that it is wrong to blame the excessive rainfall for this damage. In many fields Safed Musli crop is still in good condition. I feel that the farmers having damaged crop are paying the cost of ignorance towards standard Agronomical practices. As I always write, that the majority of Musli growers are not having the farming background. Hence, they are not aware of thumb rules of farming. The literatures explaining the scientific cultivation of Safed Musli are full of information that for its commercial cultivation sloppy land, with good water drainage and sandy soil are needed. But in practical, most of the growers ignore these recommendations. When they consult to the consultants, they also assure them, that it is bookish recommendations and Musli can be grown in any type of soils. To some extent they are correct. If any one is planning to cultivate this crop in clay soils having drainage problem, one should take extra precaution during crop production. And in advance, sufficient drainage arrangements are essential. If land is not sloppy, it can be developed to sloppy land to some extent by manipulation through Agricultural implements. There is no need to explain all these to the growers having farming background because they are doing the same practice in production of other crops. Most of the fields damaged due to excessive rainfall, were poorly drained and also the growers have ignored this important practice. 'We were not expecting the excess rainfall', the common farmer will laugh on this comment of the affected Musli growers. The agriculture is not a child's play. It is not less than a gamble. Very risky enterprise particularly when you are cultivating Hi-value crop like Safed Musli. Most of the affected farmers have faced great loss. Many of them have taken loan from banks. To get the lesson, this punishment is very costly for them. In general, the Musli growers ignore many important standard Agronomical practices. All general farmers are aware that the Farm yard manure must be applied atleast 15 days prior to sowing. This application before specific days of sowing has scientific reasons. It is a thumb rule in Agriculture. In last season, when one of my farmers at Vidarbha region was advised by me to follow this standard practice, he ignored this. And he applied FYM after the sowing of Safed Musli crop. This application resulted in not only poor germination but also due to nutrient interlocking by FYM, the initial growth was very poor. After getting lesson, the farmers suggested me that why I have not 'forced' (?) Him for this. Basically, he is industrialist and never entered the agricultural fields prior to this season. I have to face this situation very commonly. In India, many Agricultural universities are actively working to guide the farmers. The new farmers can take the advantage from these universities. If they have hesitation, they can learn the basic technique from any farmer. Through extensive research on Safed Musli crop, the researchers have recommended specific spacing (between plant to plant and row to row) for different land situations. These recommendations are available in standard literatures. I have noted that the new farmers ignore this recommendation and plant Musli plant at distance of their ease. As result, they find poor and uneven growth. As they are unexperienced, they are unaware of importance of spacing. I feel that this is our fault to some extent that we do not explain the basic principles of Agriculture to them. At internet, there is a long list of websites giving information regarding lucrative returns of Safed Musli but unfortunately they are not giving the detailed farming practices. And this is the reason most of the new growers think that its cultivation is very easy. Just sow the small money and after four months get the big money. Sorry, Agriculture is not so easy. If you are a farmer planning to cultivate this crop or want to know more about Agronomical practices, I suggest you to read the previous articles carefully. Through my experiences and experiment, I have gained many valuable information on this wonder crop. You can get over 25 research articles on Safed Musli at Botanical.com. The purpose of the present article is not to discourage the new farmers. I just want to suggest them, that as you are investing your earning and time for this wonder crop, take full precaution and adopt recommended practices, I am sure that by this way, you will get even more returns than you have expected from this medicinal crop.

Thank you very much for reading the article.