This is the brief description about the good Agricultural Practices under the subject herbal Drug technology.

1. UNIT-1
Herbal Drug Technology
Topic: Good Agricultural Practices in
Cultivation Of Medicinal Plants.
By: AMAN SINGH CHAUHAN
B.PHARMA(6th Sem.)

3. Good agricultural practices
(GAP) are principles and codes
of practice for farm
management that can
contribute to achieving
sustainable agriculture and
rural development (SARD) by
improving food safety and
quality, environmental
sustainability and social
welfare.

4. Authentication of cultivated medicinal plants
➢ The botanical identity of each medicinal plant under
cultivation should be verified and recorded. The scientific
name (genus, species, subspecies/ variety, author, and
family) of each medicinal plant should be recorded.
➢ If available, the local and English common names should also be
recorded .
➢ The species or botanical variety selected for cultivation should
be the same as that specified in the national pharmacopoeia or
recommended by other authoritative national documents of the
end-user ’s countr y.
➢ In the case of newly introduced medicinal plants, the species or
botanical variety selected for cultivation should be identified and
documented as the source material used or described in
traditional medicine of the original countr y.

5. Seeds and Other Propagation
Materials
Seeds and other propagation materials should be specified, and suppliers of seeds and
other propagation materials should provide all necessary information relating to the
identity, quality and performance of their products, as well as their breeding history.
The propagation or planting materials should be of the appropriate quality and be
as free as possible from contamination and diseases in order to promote healthy
plant growth.
During Production, the extraneous species, botanical varieties and
strains of medicinal plants should be excluded, and use of counterfeit, sub-standard
and adulterated propagation materials should be avoided.
1
2

6. Medicinal plants have been used for centuries
to treat various ailments and diseases. They
are a rich source of natural compounds that
have therapeutic properties. Cultivating
medicinal plants can be a profitable venture
for farmers and can also help in the
conservation of threatened species.

7. Factors that
Affects
Cultivation of
Medicinal Plants

8. Altitude.
Altitude is very important
factor in cultivation of
medicinal plants.
Tea, Cinchona and eucalyptus
are cultivated favorably at
an altitude of 1000-2000
meters.
Cinnamon and cardamom are
grown at height of 500-1000
meters, while senna can
be cultivated at sea level

10. Temperature.
Temperature is one of the environmental factors that can cause stress to
medicinal plants, which can result in altered physiological processes.
Temperature extremes can induce various physiological, morphological, and
molecular changes in medicinal plants, which can affect the production of
secondary metabolites .
Secondary metabolites are the phytochemicals present in medicinal plants that
are responsible for their medicinal properties.

12. Soil.
The optimal soil conditions for medicinal
plants include a pH range of 6.5-7.5,
good drainage, moisture retention, and
fertility.
The soil type and quality are important
factors to consider when cultivating
medicinal plants.

13. Fertilizers
and Manures.
The cultivation of medicinal plants requires a balanced use
of fertilizers and manures. Organic manure is usually
preferred, such as farmyard manure or compost manure,
to make soil rich in organic content. Nitrogenous fertilizers
like NPK may be used if necessary, depending upon the soil
fertility.
In India, some of the medicinal plants that are cultivated
include Daruhaldi, Annatto, Isapgol, Vidang, Senna,
Phyllanthus, Guggul, Davana, Calamus, and Stevia. The
land to be prepared for planting is deep-ploughed twice,
cleared off the weeds and forest growth, and supplied with
farmyard manure at the rate of 9-10 tonnes per hectare.

14. Irrigation and Drainage.
Irrigation and drainage are crucial factors to consider when
cultivating medicinal plants. The amount of water required for each
plant species varies depending on the stage of growth. The water
used for irrigation should comply with local, regional, and/or national
quality standards to ensure that the plants under cultivation are
neither over- nor under-watered.
In addition to water, other factors such as climate, light, soil, and
altitude also play a significant role in the growth of medicinal plants .
For instance, the plant should be cultivated in conditions that are
similar to the plant’s natural habitat. Hence, climate that is
temperature, rainfall, and length of the day, plays an important role
in the growth of plants.

15. Irrigation and
Drainage.

16. Harvesting of Medicinal Plants.
Harvesting medicinal plants is a delicate process that requires careful consideration to
ensure the sustainability of the plant species.
To ensure sustainable harvesting, several techniques can be employed, such as selective
harvesting, harvesting at the right time, regenerative harvesting, cultivation and farming,
and community involvement and education.
To obtain high-quality efficacious herbal drugs, the appropriate part of the medicinal plant
must be harvested at the optimum stage of development, dried and stored at temperatures
and conditions that do not decrease the active ingredients, and processed using a technique
that maximizes phytochemical recovery.

17. Harvesting.

18. Personnel
Used in
Cultivation of
Medicinal
Plants.
The growers and producers should be
adequately knowledgeable concerning the medicinal
plants, including their botanical identification,
cultivation characteristics, environmental
requirements(i.e., soil type, pH of soil, fertility, plant
spacing, and light requirements), and means of harvesting
and storage.
The personnel involved in propagation, cultivation,
harvesting should maintain
appropriate personal hygiene and should be trained.

19. Personnel.