DOI: 10.4103/ijar.ijar_95_25 ISSN: 0974-7788

Formulation and nutritional profiling of Kunapajala and its effect on the germination, growth, and yield of Vacha (Acorus calamus L.): An experimental study

Champa Pant, Anushka Survase, Ainanda Pandey
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ABSTRACT:

Background:

Vacha ( Acorus calamus L.), an endangered and commercially important Ayurvedic medicinal plant, is widely cultivated using chemical fertilizers, which may increase costs and adversely affect quality and environmental sustainability. Traditional Vrikshayurveda (~Ayurveda for plant life) describes Kunapajala (KJ) (~water smelling like a corpse), a nutrient-rich organic formulation, as a potential sustainable alternative.

Aim:

The aim of the study was to investigate the formulation and nutritional composition of KJ and evaluate its effects on the growth and yield of Vacha .

Materials and Methods:

The study involved the production and nutritional analysis of KJ in both liquid and dry form using a standard operating procedure to analyze organic fertilizers mandated by the Fertilizer Control Order, 1985, as well as assessing its effect on the germination, growth, and yield of an extensively used, endangered medicinal and aromatic plant, Vacha , in a pot experiment. The results were compared with a positive control ( Vacha grown with chemical fertilizers) and a negative control ( Vacha grown without fertilizers) using one-way ANOVA test.

Results:

The nutritional analysis exhibited the presence of all essential macro- and micronutrients necessary for plant growth in KJ. Statistical analysis highlighted statistically significant differences among the three groups in rhizome germination ( P < 0.00001), growth ( P < 0.00001), and yield ( P < 0.00001). Vacha plants treated with KJ performed best in pairwise comparison ( post hoc Tukey Honestly Significant Difference [HSD] analysis).

Conclusion:

The study concludes that KJ can potentially replace or reduce the dependency on chemical fertilizers for Vacha cultivation. Using KJ in Vacha cultivation could help mitigate the indiscriminate collection of its rhizomes from wild populations and address the ever-increasing demand from Ayurvedic practitioners and the pharmaceutical industry. Its large-scale production can also provide economic and environmental benefits, supporting sustainable farming practices.

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