Agriculture

Crop Production

Package of practices

Medicinal and aromatic plants

Sarcostemma acidum 

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<h3>Plant profile:</h3>
<table class="grid listing" align="left">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Family</td>
<td>Asclepiadaceae</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ayurvedic name</td>
<td>Soma</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Unani name</td>
<td>------</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hindi name</td>
<td>Somlata</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>English name</td>
<td>Moon Plant, Soma Plant</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Trade name</td>
<td>Somlata</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Parts used</td>
<td>Entire plant</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<img class="image-inline" title="Flower twig of Sarcostemma acidum" src="https://static.vikaspedia.in/media/images_en/agriculture/crop-production/package-of-practices/medicinal-and-aromatic-plants/flower-twig-of-sarcostemma-acidumtest.png" alt="Flower twig of Sarcostemma acidum" width="250" height="250" />
<p><strong>Flower twig of <em>Sarcostemma acidum </em></strong></p>
<h3>Morphological Characteristics</h3>
<ul>
<li>This plant is almost leafless, straggling, jointed shrub with many branches.</li>
<li>Stem is cylindrical and 3.0-6.0 mm in diameter.</li>
<li>It is green, pubescent in young stage and gradually turns glabrous. Internodes are 1.0-3.0 long.</li>
<li>Leaves are very minute, caducous, adpressed and opposite.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Floral Characteristics</h3>
<ul>
<li>Flowers are white on sessile umbels at the end of branches.</li>
<li>Pedicels are 6.0-8.0 mm long, slender and pubescent.</li>
<li>Bracts are 1.5-2.0 mm long, lanceolate.</li>
<li>Calyx is divided at the base, sub-actue and margins are revolute.</li>
<li>Outer corona is crenately 10 lobed on the margins, inner corona lobes thick, fleshy, obtuse and longer than the stamina column, almost concealing the anthers.</li>
<li>Staminal column is very short and pollen masses are waxy, compressed, falcately flavate.</li>
<li>Caudicles are short and orange in colour.</li>
<li>Ovary is glabrous with many ovules and the style apex is shortly conical at the apex.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Distribution</h3>
<ul>
<li>Plant found in dry places of West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar and Peninsular India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Climate and Soil</h3>
<ul>
<li>Plant grows in open sun light on rocky sandy soil in arid and semi-arid areas with low rainfall.&nbsp; The conditions of shade and high moisture is preferable.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Propagation Material</h3>
<ul>
<li>Stem cuttings with nodes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Agro-technique</h3>
<p><strong>Nursery Technique </strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Raising Propagules :</strong> During July-September, stem cuttings with nodes are directly planted in the nursery beds. Rootex hormone is used for early rooting of cuttings.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Planting in the Field</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Land Preparation and Manure&nbsp; Application : </strong> Pits are dug at a distance of 1m X 1m and Farm Yard Manure is given @ of 10 kg/plant at the time of plantation as basal dose.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Transplanting and Optimum&nbsp; Spacing :</strong> Seedlings or stem cuttings are transplanted at a spacing of 1m X 1m between plant to plant and row to row with an optimum crop stand of approximately 100 plants /ha.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Irrigation Practices : </strong> It is a rainfed crop, irrigation is rarely required.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Weed Control :</strong> Manual weeding is required to keep the plantation weed-free.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Disease and Pest Control : </strong> No disease noticed.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Harvest Management</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Crop Maturity and Harvesting :</strong> Matured plant can be harvested during November-December with the appearance of matured seeds.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Post-harvest Management : </strong>Whole plants is dried in shade and stored in gunny bags in cool-airy rooms.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Chemical Constituents : </strong>Twigs contain luperol acetate &alpha; and &beta;- amyrin acetate and &beta;-sitosterol.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Yield :</strong> The estimated yield of whole plant is about 9 kg fresh wt.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Therapeutic Uses</h3>
<ul>
<li>Stem is emetic and hypothermic.</li>
<li>Root acts as antidote for snake-bite and rabid dog bites, mental diseases, sinusitis and rhinitis.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Source : Agro-techniques of Selected Medicinal Plants</strong></p>
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