| Family |
Orchidaceae |
| English Name |
Jivak |
| Malayalam Name |
Jivakam |
| Tamil Name |
Jivakam |
| Kannada Name |
Jivakam |
| Telugu Name |
Jivakam |
| Hindi Name |
Jivak |
| Sanskrit Name |
Jivakah, Jivaka |
| Trade Name |
Jivak |
| Part Used |
Bulbs |
| In Wild |
NA |
| Under Cultivation |
NA |
| Temperature |
NA |
| Rainfall |
NA |
| Farmers |
NA |
| Traders |
NA |
| Institution |
NA |
| Individually |
NA |
| State/Region |
NA |
| District |
NA |
| Nursery Information |
NA |
| Yield |
Yield of fresh bulbs is about 60 kg /ha. It loses 2/3rd of weight on drying. |
| Economic of cultivation |
Present market price is ₹. 800-900 per kg (as on March 2018). |
| Quantitative quality standards |
1. Foreign matter: Nil
2. Ash : 6.5% (w/w)
3. Acid-insoluble ash: 1.52% (w/w)
4. Ethanol-soluble extractive : 5.0 (w/w)
5. Water-soluble extractive: 11.0% (w/w) |
| Description |
Terrestrial glabrous herbs with ovoid pseudobulbs; pseudo-stem 15-30 cm tall, erect, swoolon at the base. Leaves 2, from the base of stem, elliptic lanceolate or ovate, unequal, 2-10 x 1-4 cm, base narrowed. Flowers small,
3 mm long, yellowish-green in terminal, 8-12 cm long racemes. |
| Agro technology/Cultivation practices |
The plant has been observed to grow well in sandy loam soil with high organic matter. It prefers temperate climatic conditions with low rainfall.
Cultivation
1. Planting-stock production: Since the seeds are microscopic, it is hard
to get seed germination in nursey and laboratory conditions. Hence,
pseudo-bulbs are used for raising the crop. The pseudo-bulbs of sizes
3 to 4 cm in length (0.8 -1.0 cm diameter) are selected and used to rise
propagules. In April-May the maximum survival percentage (78-80%) was
found in pseudobulbs. Mother bulbs after about 2 years growth are
chosen for target usage and the daughter bulbs should be used for
planting the subsequent crop. However, sprouting in mother bulbs is
better than that in daughter bulbs younger than 1 year. Damaged bulbs
are not to be used for planting.
2. Field planting: The pseudo-bulbs should be planted during mid-October to
early November at 30 x 30 cm spacing accommodating about 1,11,100
plants/ha as a pure crop.
3. Manuring/Fertilizer: Farmyard manure/compost may be applied at the time
of land preparation based on plant/soil analysis.
4. Irrigation: The crop requires light irrigation at the time of
establishment soon after transplanting.
5. Pest and diseases: No disease or insect pest has been noticed in this
crop. |
| Harversting |
Plants normally bear flowers and fruits during September-October. The crop attains senescence during October-November of second year which is the right time of harvesting the crop. |
| Processing |
The bulbs should be separated from the plants, washed and dried in shade before storing. |
| References |
NA |
