Yield

Safed musli (Chlorophytum borivillianum) is an important Ayurvedic medicinal plant. The small seedlings of musli are found in forests during rainy season. Leaves are slightly yellowish and white flowers with 6 petals are arranged on the flowering stalk which emerge from the centre of the plant. About 20-25 flowers on the flowering stalk appear in July. The seed is very small, black and enclosed in the holes. In one hole, there are about 10-12 seeds. The seed is very light in weight. Tubers emerge at the bottom of the plant, the thickness being on the average 0.9cm and the length 8cm. The number of tubers varies from plant to plant and on an average 5-30 tubers/plant are observed. Tubers are white, and hence it is called as safed musli.

Tubers are of great medicinal value containing the steriod sapoginine (1-2%), proteins (10-12%) and calcium to some extent with some extent with some water-soluble minerals. Tubers are fat free. It is useful on pitta and vata. It is effective on fatigueness, daaha and in blood purification. It is useful in certain diseases like renal calculus, dhupani, sangrahani, leucorrhoea and diabetes. It is basic ingredient in chyanprash. It is lactating, energetic to heart. Daily use of about 3g of musli powder with milk is helpful in providing healthiness.

Climate and Soil:

Musli is sub-tropical plant. The soil having light to medium texture, well drained fertile is most suited. There is tremendous scope for cultivation of musli in Maharashtra.

The land should be ploughed and harrowed so that there should be proper aeration. Well-decomposed FYM about 15-20 tonnes/ha should be mixed in the soil properly before planting or the vermicompost can be used. After land preparation, the broad bed furrows 90cm broad and 15cm height should be prepared. Water channels should be prepared for each bed.

Usually safed musli is propagated by tubers. However, the propagation of musli can be done by seed also. But the germination percentage by seed is very less and it takes about 18 months for harvesting tubers. Hence the sprouted tubers are economical for planting. It takes about 6 months for maturity in the rainy (kharif) season. Previous year tubers are used for cultivation. The bunch of the tubers should be removed from soil in May and tubers are separated from the bunch in such a way that some portion of crown should remain attached to each tuber. Tubers separated should be stored in gunny bags filled with mixture of fine sand and silt with moist condition under shade. In June, tubers get sprouted naturally and these are used for planting.

Planting should be done on the onset of monsoon, preferably in June. The soil should be moist at the time of planting. The planting should be done at the spacing of 30cm x 10cm. Tubers should be placed deeply in the soil.

Weeding should be done by hand. As the plants of musli appear like that of grass, there is possibility of getting removed these musli plants along with grass. The field should be kept weed free.

Irrigation should be given as and when required during growth period to avoid any water stress. Sprinklers may be used if available for irrigation purpose.

Tubers are ready for harvesting after 6 months of planting. Harvesting is done in December-January, when the matured leaves drop down. This is the best indication for harvesting tubers. The tuber bunches are removed by digging the soil.

Bunches removed from soil should be thoroughly washed with water. Such clean bunches are dried in shade for 2 days. The skin on the tubers should be removed by pressing the tubers by holding between 2 fingers. Such peeled musli should be again washed with water and dried completely in shade. The hard dried musli is marketed. Musli should be packed in polythene bags.

Yield

Fresh tubers 1.8-2.0 tonnes/ha or dried tubers 0.3-0.4 tonnes/ha. The market rate of dried tubers is about Rs.500-800/kg. Market rate of musli can reach upto Rs.1000-1200/kg. The cost of cultivation per ha is about Rs. 1 lakh. One can get the minimum profit around Rs. 60,000-70,000 per ha.