| Family |
Leguminosae |
| English Name |
Senna |
| Malayalam Name |
Chunnamukki, Sunnamukki |
| Tamil Name |
Nattunelavarai, Nelavagai, Sooratnilla avarai |
| Kannada Name |
Nelavarike, Swarnapatri |
| Telugu Name |
Nelavarike, Swarnapatri |
| Hindi Name |
Sonamukhi, Sonpat, Hindisana |
| Sanskrit Name |
Pitapushpi, Swarnamukhi, Swarnapatrika |
| Trade Name |
Senna |
| Part Used |
Leaves and Pods |
| In Wild |
NA |
| Under Cultivation |
NA |
| Temperature |
100 - 420 C. |
| Rainfall |
NA |
| Farmers |
NA |
| Traders |
NA |
| Institution |
NA |
| Individually |
NA |
| State/Region |
NA |
| District |
NA |
| Nursery Information |
NA |
| Yield |
A good crop of Senna can give 1500 kg of dry leaves and 700 kg of pods per hectare under
irrigated and well managed conditions. The yield under rain-fed conditions is about 1000 kg
of leaves and 400 kg of pods. |
| Economic of cultivation |
1. Cost of Cultivation: Approximate cost of
cultivation - ₹ 25,000/- per hectare.
2. Price: Leaves: ₹ 90-120/kg (as on October
2018). |
| Quantitative quality standards |
Leaf
1. Foreign matter: Not more than 2.0 per cent
2. Total Ash: Not more than 11.0 per cent
3. Acid-insoluble ash: Not more than 1.0 per
cent
4. Ethanol-soluble extractive: Not less than
10.0 per cent
5. Water-soluble extractive: Not less than
32.0 per cent
6. Loss on Drying: Not more than 8.0 per cent
Pod
1. Foreign matter: Not more than 2.0 per cent
2. Total Ash: Not more than 7.0 per cent
3. Acid-insoluble ash: Not more than 0.5 per
cent
4. Ethanol-soluble extractive: Not less than
7.5 per cent
5. Water-soluble extractive: Not less than
27.0 per cent
6. Loss on Drying: Not more than 10.0 per cent |
| Description |
A variable, branching, erect shrub, up to 1.8 m high. Leaves pinnate, pubescent, leaflets 3-9 pairs, pale green to bluish green, elliptic, lanceolate, 1.5-5.0 cm × 0.4-2.0 cm Flowers brilliant yellow, in erect terminal racemes. Fruit is a pod, light green when young, becomes dark brown or black when mature, flat, thin, oblong, pubescent, 3.5-7.0 cm × 0.2 2.5 cm; seeds 5-7, dark brown, obovate-oblong,. |
| Agro technology/Cultivation practices |
The plant requires dry and warm climate, bright sunshine and occasional drizzle are favorable for good growth. It can grow in places where the average temperature fluctuates between 100°C and 420°C. It is highly drought resistant and may be suitable for low rainfall areas. The plant
can thrive on a wide range of well drained soils from loams, sandy loam, including even coarse, gravelly soils and on rich, clayey fields with pH ranging between 7.0 and 8.5.
Cultivation
1. Land Preparation: The land is ploughed deep and the soil is exposed to
sun for 10-15 days to dry out roots of perennial weeds, followed by two
cross ploughing, harrowing and levelling. Farmyard manure is
incorporated into the soil at the time of final cross ploughing. Then
the land is laid out into plots of convenient size with irrigation
channels.
2. Planting: The crop is raised by seeds. The seeds have hard and tough
seed coat. Therefore, soak the seeds in water for 10-12 hours before
sowing. The swollen seeds are separated for sowing to ensure highest
germination. Or they can be soaked in liquid cow-dung for 6 days, this
enhances the germination and ensure an even crop. The quantity of seed
required for sowing under the rain-fed conditions is 10 to 27 kg/hectare
and 7 to 15 kg/hectare under irrigated condition. The seeds are
broadcasted or preferably sown at 30 cm lines to 30 cm apart and 1.5 to
2.5 cm depth in well prepared land. Germination commences on third day
and complete within a fortnight. Under rain-fed conditions, in black
soils, a first crop of cotton or sorghum or coriander is grown and then
Senna is sown as a second crop on residual moisture at the end of the
rainy season. Seedlings raised in the nursery can be transplanted (after
2 months) when they reach 15 cm height.
3. Manure: The roots of Senna don’t form nodules and hence cannot fix
nitrogen. Therefore, application of manure is beneficial. Farmyard
manure/ Vermicompost/ Green manure can be used by soil analysis.
4. Irrigation: Depending upon soil moisture conditions, irrigate 4-6 times.
However, two irrigations are very crucial, one immediately after sowing
and the other at 30 days after sowing if soil moisture is inadequate.
5. Diseases and pests: The crop in South India is not known to be affected
by any serious diseases. Leaf spot caused by Alternaria alternata and
leaf blight caused by Phyllostica spp cause severe damage to the crop
through leaf drop. Bio-pesticides prepared (either single or mixture)
from Neem (kernel, seeds & leaves), Chitrakmool, Datura, Cow’s urine
etc. can be applied as control measures. |
| Harversting |
The plants start flowering at 60 days after sowing and the first flush is removed to encourage vegetative growth. Harvesting should be done when bulk of the leaves is fully grown, thick and yellowish green in colour. When grown under irrigated conditions three harvestings are advised to get maximum yield. Take first harvest after 90 days of sowing and the second
and third harvest at 150 and 210 days respectively. Under rainfed conditions, cuttings or uprooting of plants after 4-5 months of sowing can be done. |
| Processing |
Spread the harvested leaves on a clean floor in open sun for 6-10 hours to reduce the moisture followed by shade frying for 3-5 days (8% moisture in the final produce). Leaves of large size and light green to greenish yellow colour and bold pods in yellowish green colour are preferable. Improper and delayed drying changes the colour from brown to black, which fetches lower market price. After proper drying, store in a cool and dry place. The loss of sennoside contents in the stored produce is very slow and even after a year of storage, the loss is negligible. |
| References |
NA |
