Herbage yield, phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin contents under the influence of organic amendments and bio-stimulants in Keelanelli (Phyllanthus amarus schumm and thonn.)

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of organic amendments and bio-stimulants on growth, yield and quality parameters in Phyllanthus amarus at Medicinal Plants Unit, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The main plot included various combinations of organic manures and the sub-plot consisted of foliar application of bio-stimulants viz. panchakavya, humic acid and Manchurian mushroom extract. Observations on morphological, yield and quality parameters were recorded at different stages of plant growth. Application of FYM (25 t/ha) + Recommended dose of fertilizer of NPK/ha (100: 50: 50 kg/ha) combined with foliar spraying of panchakavya and Manchurian mushroom extract each 3% and humic acid 0.3% recorded the highest plant height (39.12, 68.78 and 76.70 cm), number of branches (16.2, 21.9 and 26.0), plant spread (22.46, 33.76 and 55.82 cm²), fresh weight (9.05, 22.30 and 81.15 g/plant), dry weight (5.35, 13.45 and 49.10 g/plant) and fresh herbage yield (0.58, 1.60 and 5.48 t/ha) at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting respectively. The same treatment combination also recorded highest dry matter production (0.26, 0.76 and 3.13 t/ha) and total chlorophyll content (0.35, 0.37 and 0.32 mg/g), at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting respectively. The alkaloids viz., phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin content (0.78 and 0.29 per cent respectively) were the highest in treatment FYM (25 t/ha) + Vermicompost (5 t/ha) + Neem cake (250 kg/ha) combined with foliar spraying of panchakavya and Manchurian mushroom extract each 3% and humic acid 0.3% at 90 DAP.