Hey! I'm student of pharmacy. I'm glad to be in this field and being part of pharmacy world. I'm here to spread knowledge and help people to gain information related to field of pharmacy. In this I prepared a short information about the cultivation of medicinal plants. As we all know that medicines plays a most important rope in our life . As we saw in the pandemic i.e. in COVID medical field observed as a backbone of life. Every person should have at least general little knowledge regarding to medicines. So , in this SlideShare I tried to spread general little knowledge about cultivation of medicinal plants.

2. CULTIVATION
Cultivation is the process of growing plants by providing all the necessary
requirements.
It involves convergence of various pharmaceutical and environmental factors like :
- Rainfall
- Irrigation
- Fertilisation
- Pests
- Humidity
- Light
- Temperature

3. METHODS OF CULTIVATION /
PROPAGATION
(SEED PROPAGATION)
SEXUAL
METHOD
( VEGETATIVE
PROPAGATION)
ASEXUAL
METHOD

4. SEXUAL METHOD
Also called
“Seed Propagation”.
In this method seedlings
are obtained, i.e. plants
developed from seeds.

5. METHODS OF SEED PROPAGATION
BROADCASTING
In this method small
seeds are scattered in
well prepared soil for
cultivation.
Example - Linseed
DIBBLING
In this method average
size seeds are shown in
holes made in the soil.
Example – Castor seeds
MISCELLANEOUS
In this method plant are
shown in nursery beds.
Example - Clove

6. ADVANTAGES
OF SEED
PROPAGATION
Seedlings are
cheaper and can
be easily
developed
Long lived plants
and bear large
number of fruits
DISADVANTAGE
S OF SEED
PROPAGATION
Take longer time to
grow and bear fruits
Harvesting is
costlier and require
more spraying of
pesticides

7. ASEXUAL METHOD
Also called
“ Vegetative propagation”.
It can be defined as
regeneration or formation of a
new individual from any
vegetative part of the plant.

8. METHODS OF VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION
CUTTING
Cut the root or stem from parent plant
^
Put it into moist soil
^
Which grow into new plant
Example – Sugarcane
LAYERING
Select the branch attached to the parent plant
^
Pegged it down into the ground cove with soil
^
When it will rooted , remove it and plant it anywhere.
Example - Rose
GRAFTING
Choose two plants closely related to each other
^
Take rooted part of one plant called “stock” and upper part
of another plant called “scion or graft” by cutting it
^
Grab both of them on one another , as they grow together
Example - Mango
BUDDING
Same as the grafting
^
Single bud from scion is taken
^
As bud and stock grow together and bud become part of new plant
Example - Apple

9. ADVANTAGES OF
VEGETATIVE
PROPAGATION
Easy, cheap and
rapid methods
The plant grow is
similar to its source
plant
DISADVANTAGES
OF VEGETATIVE
PROPAGATION
Not long lived
Degeneration of
species due to lack
of sexual stimulus

10. COLLECTION OF DRUGS
After sufficient growth , the plant should be collected
at specific time period to get best quality of products.
COLLECTION OF DIFFERENT PARTS
OF PLANTS
- Leaf and flowering tops
- Flowers
- Barks
- Fruits
- Roots
- Resins , Gums , Lattices

11. COLLECTION OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF
PLANTS
Leaf and flowering tops – are collected before their maturity ( i.e. flowering stage).
EXAMPLE - digitalis , senna etc.
Flowering – are collected in the morning hours of dry weather during pollination or before
their full expansion.
Example – Saffron , clove buds etc.
Bark – are collected in spring or early summer.
Example – Cinnamon etc.
Fruits – are collected either ripe or half ripe, fully grown.
Example – coriander , cardamon etc.
Roots – are collected in spring before the vegetative process stops.
Example – Rhizomes etc.
RESINS , GUMS AND LATTICES – These unorganized drugs are collected when it gets
drip out of the plants.
Example – Acacia, gum etc.

12. PROCESSING AND STORAGE OF
DRUGS
➢Harvesting
➢Washing
➢Drying
➢Garbling (dressing)
➢Packing
➢Storage

13. Processing and storage of drug
▪ HARVESTING – It is a process of cutting and gathering of drugs .
- Care should be taken to ensure that no foreign matter , weeds
or toxic plants are mixed with the harvested drug plants .
Techniques of Harvesting
i. Binders
ii. Seed Stripper
iii. Beating with bamboo
iv. Brushing
v. Handled forks
vi. Mowers
vii. Reaping Machines

14. Processing and storage of drugs
▪ DRYING – It involve removal of sufficient moisture from the crude drug for obtaining a
good quality finished products.
Types of drying
i. Natural drying – sun drying or shed drying.
ii. Artificial drying – dried by using dryers.
• Tray dryers
• Vacuum dryers
• Spray dryers
▪ GARBLING – In this all extra undesirable materials i.e. sand , dirt and foreign organic
parts removed from drugs.
▪ PACKING – During packaging of drugs , their morphological and chemical nature ,
uses and effects of climatic conditions during transportation and storage should be
considered.
▪ STORAGE – The physical and chemical properties are well known in order to
store/preserve them.
- Well closed containers should be used.

15. FACTORS AFFECTING CULTIVATION
OF MEDICINAL PLANTS
ALTITUDE
TEMPERATURE
AND HUMIDITY
SOIL
LIGHT
RAINFALL OR
IRRIGATION
FERTILIZERS
AND
MANNURES
PESTS AND
PEST
CONTROLS

16. Factors affecting cultivation of medicinal plants
❑ ALTITUDE – It is height of plant from see level.
- Examples – Plants Altitude (meters)
Tea 1000-1500
Cinchona 1000-2000
Camphor 1500-2000
❑ TEMPERATURE – Extremely high as well as low temperature disturbs the quality of medicinal plants.
Examples – Camphor and coffee cannot grow favourably at extreme low temperature.
Plant Temperature ( degree F )
Coffee 55-70
Tea 70-90
❑ HUMIDITY – If the humidity is extremely high or low, the plant growth is not favourable.
- Example – Saffron needs only cold climate.
❑ LIGHT – It influences photosynthesis, opening and closing of stomata, flowering, plant movements.
- Example – If plant do not get enough light; leaves turn yellow, shrink and stem become weak.

17. Factors affecting cultivation of medicinal plants
❑ RAINFALL AND IRRIGATION – Sufficient amount of water is required for the growth of plant
according to their need.
- some plants require very less amount of water, examples – aloe,
acacia.
❑ FERTILIZERS – Fertilizers are added to the soil to supply nutrients for the growth of plants.
- Examples – Chemical fertilizer – Urea
Biofertilizer – blue green algae
❑ MANURES – Manures are plant and animal wastes used as plant nutrient source.
- Example – Cow dung
❑ SOIL – It provide mechanical support, water, and essential nutrients for the development of
plants.
- The soil condition i.e. soil type, moisture retention, fertility, pH should be maintained as
per selected medicinal plants.

18. Factors affecting cultivation of medicinal plants
❑ PESTS AND PEST CONTROL – Pests are undesirable plant and animal species.
- Due to presence of pests, plants loss nutrients, water etc.
➢ Types of pests :-
▪ Fungi
▪ Virus
▪ Insects
▪ Weeds
❑ Pest control methods :-
➢ Mechanical method – These method involve collection and destruction of pests.
- Hand-picking, burning and trapping of pests are some of the simple methods.
➢ Agriculture method – These method involve advanced techniques of plant breeding.
➢ Biological method – These methods involve combating the pests, mostly the insects with other
➢ living organisms.
➢ Chemical method – These methods involve controlling pests by using chemical pesticides.
- Examples – Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides.