Rauvolfia serpentina (Indian snakeroot)

• Common name: Black snakeroot / Indian snakeroot
• Botanical name- Rauwolfia serpentine

a. Climate and soil:

• Tropical and subtropical, thrives well in humid tropical areas.
• Average rainfall ranges between 160-500 cm/annum.
• Grows up to an elevation of 1000 – 1200m.
• Frosty weather is not suitable for its cultivation.
• Temperature between 100C to 400C.
• It grows in sandy – loam, alluvial loam to clayey – loam soils.
• It prefers neutral or slightly acidic soils (pH 4- 6.3)

b. Cultivation:

• 2-3 ploughings, 1-2 harrowing and leveling is required.
• Weed free and fine tilth
• A well-rotted FYM or compost at@25-30 tones /ha
• Time for raising the nursery is April, May – June or July – August.
• Seed Rate: 5 -8 kg of seeds /ha. In N.B (shade) -1.5 – 2.5 kg/ha.
• Spacing: – 45x30cm or 45x45cm or 45x60cm or 60x60cm.

c. Management:

• Manures: 30 -40 tons of FYM / Compost/ha.
• Fertilizers: 100:50:50kg of NPK / ha
• One 70 – 75 days after planting and the other during the succeeding spring.
• Interculture: 3 -4 weddings and 1 -2 hoeing is required during its growing period.
• Intercrops: maize, cowpea, egg plants, radish, wheat, onion, garlic, soybean, Cole crops
• Partial shades are preferable to direct exposure to sunlight

d. Irrigation: 3-4 irrigations

e. Diseases:

• Cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora rauvolfiae).
• Leaf blotch (Cercospora serpentinae).
• Target leaf spot – (Corynespora cassicola).
• Alternaria leaf blight (Alternaria tenuis).
• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)
• Die – back (Colletotrichum dematium).
• Powdery mildew (Leviellula taurica).
• Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum F. rauvolfiae).
• Root knot (Meloidogyne sp.)
• For the control Spray Dithan Z-78 or Dithan M-45 @ 0.2% in early season. Spray Blitox @ 30g in 10lit of water/ha.

f. Insect pests:

• Cockchafer (Anomala polita),
• Pyralid caterpillar (Glyphodes vertumnalis),
• Caterpillar (Daphnis nerii, Deilophola nerii).
• Spray 0.2% Roger.

g. Harvesting:

• Only after 2 – 4 years of planting.
• November – December (dormant)
• A light irrigation should be given in advance to facilitate easy digging of roots.
• Properly dried under the sun.

h. Yield: 11 – 12 tones / ha.

i. Chemical evaluation:

• The most important alkaloids are Reserpine, Reserpinine, Ajmaline, Sarajmaline, Ajmalicine, Serpentinine, and Serpentine.

j. Uses:

• Universal medicine for lowering blood pressure.
• It cures insomnia, hysteria and hypertension.
• It is also useful for in the treatment of cataract.
• It also cures plague and fever.
• Sarpagandha is used for the treatment of Schizophrenia.
• It is used in different countries as a sedative and tranquilizer.
• Treatment of intractable skin disorder such as psoriasis, excessive sweating and itching.
• It is also used against irregular heart action in old ages.
• Cures toxic goiter.
• Useful for some gynecological problems like frigidity and moliminia.
• Used for rheumatism, edema and intestinal diseases.
• Used against constipation and dizziness.