It is about cultivation aspects of Keelanelli, a medicinal plant.

1. Medicinal crops
P.VANNIARAJAN,M.Sc(Ag)
Joint Director of Agriculture (Retired)
pvanniarajanagri@gmail.com.
9442059321

2.  Phyllanthus amarus-Euphorbiaceae
 Economic part – Whole plant
 Uses- Hepatitis B and Jaundice

3.  Varieties
Navyakrit (CIMAP) - High herbage and active
constituents.
 Soil and climate
Well drained Sandy loamy/black soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5
Grows well as tropical and sub tropical rainfed crop.

4. Sowing
 Plough the land twice/thrice and level the top soil.
 Seed rate - 1 kg of seeds per ha.
 Nursery – 20days.
 Soaking the seeds in fresh water for 20-30 minutes
before sowing would help in increased germination.
Also seed treatment with GA3 200 ppm for 6 hours
increased germination percentage.

5. Spacing
 20 days seedlings
 Spacing - 15 x10 cm,
 8 lakhs seedlings/ha
 10-20 tonnes of FYM,
 50:25:25 kg NPK per hectare.
 Half the dose of N, entire dose of P and K is applied
as basal
 Remaining N is applied in two split doses, the first at
30th day and the second at 60th day.
Manuring

6. Plant protection
 Normally the pest and disease management efforts
required are not high.
 If cultivated in June to July, the plant is ready for
cultivation in September to October.
September harvesting is ideal for high Phyllanthin.
From the date of the planting, in 80 to 100 days the
plants grow to the maximum
Harvest

7. Yield
 17.5 tonnes of fresh herbage or 1750 kg/ha of dry
herb.
 Economic part – Whole plant
 Uses- Hepatitis B and Jaundice