Alternate land use through cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants - A review

Indian farmers have been looking for some better alternative to diversify from traditional agriculture due to gradual reduction in profitability owing to decline in productivity, increased incidence of disease and pest attack in traditional crops, contingent upon their hardy nature and higher returns, medicinal plant cultivation is a better option. India needs to take up a systematic approach towards cultivation of medicinal plants to provide a consistent supply of medicinal plant produce of international quality. Senna, Periwinckle, Coleus, Keelanelli, Sadavari, medicinal Solanum, Aloe, Gloriosa and Poonaikali are some of the medicinal plant ideally suitable for wastelands. There are specific herbs that are suitable for all problematic soils, sodic, rainfed lands, dry land conditions and almost all kinds of unutilized and under utilized lands for better remuneration to the farming community.