| Family |
Leguminosae |
| English Name |
Black henna, Indian indigo, Common indigo |
| Malayalam Name |
Neelayamari, Amari |
| Tamil Name |
Acotam, Ancanam |
| Kannada Name |
Neeli gida |
| Telugu Name |
Aviri, Konda nili |
| Hindi Name |
Gouli, Neel |
| Sanskrit Name |
Gandhapushpi, Gramina |
| Trade Name |
Black henna, Indian indigo, Common indigo |
| Part Used |
Root, Stem, Leaves |
| In Wild |
NA |
| Under Cultivation |
NA |
| Temperature |
23°C |
| Rainfall |
500–1500 mm |
| Farmers |
NA |
| Traders |
NA |
| Institution |
NA |
| Individually |
NA |
| State/Region |
NA |
| District |
NA |
| Nursery Information |
NA |
| Yield |
Yield is around 10–13 t/ha (fresh weight basis)
|
| Economic of cultivation |
Estimated cost of cultivation is ₹ 10,000 per acre.
Market price: ₹ 136/kg for fresh/dry plant materials; ₹ 300/kg for seeds, as on May 2018. |
| Quantitative quality standards |
1. Foreign matter: Nil
2. Ash: Not more than 6.60%
3. Acid insoluble ash: Not more than 1.12%
4. Ethanol soluble extractive: Not less than
11.30%
5. Water soluble extractive: Not less than
14.50% |
| Description |
Herbs with woody base, to 1.5 m tall. Leaves pinnately 5-13-foliolate; leaflets opposite, 5-22 x 5-12 mm, elliptic to obovate, base and apex rounded, darkening on drying. Inflorescence axillary, spicate-racemose, many-flowered. Flowers small, red, lobes narrow lanceolate, acuminate. Pods 2-3 cm long, c. 2 mm wide, linear, straight or slightly curved, seeds 8-12, obscurely angular. |
| Agro technology/Cultivation practices |
Indigofera tinctoria occurs in seasonal wet fields and also along roadsides, bush margins, brushwood, secondary forest and on riverbanks. It is also cultivated. It occurs from sea level to 1250 m altitude, in regions with annual rainfall of 500–1500 mm and average annual temperature of 23°C. Continuous rain, water-logging and flooding kill plants, excessive heat and hot winds causes withering.
Cultivation
1. Planting-stock production: Seeds are best suited for propagation.
Seedlings are raised in nursery mother beds or polybags of 25 cm × 20 cm
size filled with potting mixture of soil, sand and farmyard manure.
Seeds germinate in about 4–5 days. Approximately, 20–30 kg seeds are
required for raising seedlings sufficient for one hectare of land. Seeds
have a hard seed coat and therefore soaking overnight in water or
scarification with sulphuric acid can improve germination to
over 90%. Indigofera can also cultivated by seed broadcasting.
2. Field planting: Transplanting time is August - September. Optimum
spacing is 30 cm × 30 cm.
3. Manuring/Fertilization: Indigofera tinctoria is fixing nitrogen through
its root nodules and therefore additional fertilization not required.
4. Irrigation: Need-based irrigation could be done.
5. Pest and diseases: Psyllids (Arytania puctipennis) suck the sap from
tender leaves and young shoots causing yellowing of leaves and gradually
dries up. Spraying 3% neem seed extract or 2% garlic neem oil emulsion
is recommended. |
| Harversting |
Branches are harvested by cutting at 10–20 cm above ground level when the plants are 4–5 months old, usually at the flowering stage. The crop should be harvested before heavy rains or flooding as the entire crop could be destroy within a few hours of heavy rain. Up to 3 harvests are possible in a year when it is grown as a ratoon crop. |
| Processing |
Harvested branches are often pounded to a soft pulp and made into balls, which are sold in the market after drying. |
| References |
NA |
