Drip Irrigation and Fertigation in Medicinal Coleus(Coleus forskohlii)

Medicinal herbs are moving from fringe to mainstream use with a greater number of people seeking remedies and health approaches free from side effects caused by synthetic pharmaceuticals. International market of medicinal plants is over US $60 billion per year, which is growing at the rate of 7 per cent. Coleus forskohlii is one of the most potential medicinal crops of the future as its pharmacopical properties have been discovered only recently. Forecasts of the requirements of forskolin for drug development indicated the need for a sustained supply of root material in quantities that would threaten the survival of the species in nature. Irrigation and fertilization are the most important management factors through which farmers control plant development, yield and quality. This book deals with the detailed review of irrigation and fertilizer management in Coleus forskohlii and other medicinal crops, effect of drip and fertiligation schedules on yield and quality of Colues forskohlii.