Allelopathic potential of Safed Musli (Chlorophytum species) : Some preliminary observations

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

I would like to start the article, with the details of great research Dr. Maria Olofsdotter and her team members are doing in the field of rice allelopathy. They are screening the rice varieties having Allelopathic potential to suppress the weed population in crop fields. They have got great success in this research. Like rice plant, all plants in nature possess the valuable Allelopathic potential to suppress the growth of certain species. As regular visitors to dense forests, I am aware that natural forests are the best place to study this interaction. Through the extensive visits to natural forests, I have identified many species having dominance power. Safed Musli (Chlorophytum species) is one of these potential species. In forests flour, during active growing period you will find very less herbs in surroundings of Safed Musli herb. This is a simple observation. I am talking about herbs not the shrubs or big trees. In Gandai region of Chhattisgarh, I have found only 8 species of other herbs that dares to grow around the Safed Musli herb. In Narharpur region, I have found only four species (in many places 6 species) and among these species Kali Musli (Curculigo orchioides) is the main species. In Bastar region, I have noted new species around Safed Musli herb. As I have mentioned in previous articles, in Chhattisgarh many species of Safed Musli grows naturally in different parts. The species of Gandai region is different from the Safed Musli of Narharpur region. These observations clearly suggest that there is possibility that the nature of dominance is common among all species of Safed Musli but within species there are many variations exist. These observations got further confirmation when I interacted with the traditional healers and herb collectors who frequently visit to forests rich in Safed Musli population. I assigned many of them to take observation at interior forests. They informed that it is a 'Raja booti' (The King herb). As Safed Musli is a new crop for agricultural researcher, not much works have been done on various aspects of this crop. The reference literatures clearly reveal that the work on Allelopathic potential of Safed Musli has yet not been started. I personally feel that now the time has come to start the research to evaluate the Allelopathic potential of Safed Musli. Encouraged with the observations in Natural conditions, when I tried to evaluate its Allelopathic potential by adopting very crude method, the results were beyond expectations. I am giving the details of this crude method for young researchers. I identified different patches around the Raipur city having rich population of specific weed species and during not summer days, when the patches were free from weed species, planted many Musli tubers randomly. When after first rainfall, the tubers and weed species started germination and initial growth, I took observations at frequent intervals. I observed that in many patches, the specific weed species suppressed the growth of Safed Musli but there are also patches where the Musli dominated the many weed species. This very crude method gave some promising indications. Now I am planning to conduct the laboratory experiments to confirm the effects and to find out the allelo-chemicals responsible for this dominance. In my previous articles, I have mentioned that even at farmer's field one can clearly observe the weed suppressing capacity of this herb. As I am engaged in documentation work, it is very difficult to spare extra time for this important work. I have explained by preliminary observations with the hope that the researchers will pay attention on this medicinal herb and find out its valuable Allelopathic potential. If you are motivated and planning to start the work on this aspect, I am with you for the guidance.

Thank you very much for reading the article.