INM on Quantity & Quality of Alkaloids of Withania somnifera (L.)Dunal

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal commonly known as Ashwagandha in India, is one of the important medicinal crop is cultivated around the world mainly for its root which has rejuvenative properties. The twenty three known Withania species are widely distributed in the drier parts of tropical and sub-tropical zones, ranging from the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean region and Northern Africa to Southwest Asia. Withania somnifera is an important medicinal plant, widely used as a home remedy against several diseases in India as well as other parts of the world. Withania somnifera yielded better quality roots. Chemical fertilizers though played an important role to meet out the nutritional demand of the crop. However, in the use of organic manures along with inorganic fertilizers but also provides all the nutrients in available form to crop plants, which in turn enhance better growth and finally the yield and quality parameters of W. somnifera. Thus, there is an urgent need to formulate integrated nutrient management for increasing the productivity and production of W. somnifera.