full issue - Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy

Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy
Vol. 5 (3) 1346 -1352 July 2011, ISSN 0973-8916 (Print), 2230-7303 (Online)
Effect of NPK and Farm Yard Manure on the Accumulation of
Forskolin, an Anti-Obesity Diterpenoid Molecule in Coleus
forskohlii
S. Nageswara Rao, S. Gangadhar Rao, B. Bhargavi and K. Janardhan Reddy*
Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad 500 007, India
*For correspondence - kjreddy50@yahoo.co.in
1346
Abstract
Medicinal plants growing in wild cannot
ensure consistent quality due to genetic
variability found in the natural populations,
geographical variations and season of collection.
Therefore, there is a need to cultivate medicinal
plants using known varieties for extraction of
high yields of active principles. This can be
achieved only with organic farming practices and
post harvest technologies. The research
conducted by institutes like CIMAP and other
CSIR institutes, ICAR and Universities has led
to the release of a number of high yielding
medicinal plant cultivars. Coleus forskohli is a
herb with fleshy, fibrous roots that grows in wild
in the warm, subtropical areas like in India,
Burma, and Thailand. Coleus forskohlii is being
grown in several parts of the country as a
commercial crop. In the present investigation the
effect of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK)
and farm yard manure amendments on the
growth of roots and accumulation of forskolin
was studied. The results revealed that 50% of
NPK and 10 tonnes of farm yard manure per
hectare at a harvesting time 150 days are ideal
for maximum yield of forskolin.
Key words: Forskolin, Farm Yard Manure, NPK,
Coleus forskohlii
Introduction
Cultivation of medicinal plants appears
to be an important strategy for research and
development. More than 400 plant species used
for production of medicines by the Indian
Industry. Cultivation of various varieties of
medicinal plants is important to isolate the active
principles. The application of organic farming
practices and post harvest technologies can
enhance their yields so that it becomes profitable
to the farmers. The potential returns to the farmer
from cultivation of medicinal plants are reported
to be quite high if fertilizers are used at a proper
dose and time. The application of bio-fertilizers
in combination with the inorganic fertilizers
substitutes the required quantity of the fertilizers
needed by the medicinal and aromatic crops. The
bio-fertilizers due to its eco friendliness will
change the phase of medicinal and aromatic crops
production in the years to come (1). In
Chlorophytum borivallianum, the number of
tubers, fresh and dry tuber yields and steroid
content increased with the application of
vermicompost of 5 tonnes ha -1 (2).
When Coleus forskohli was grown in FYM
amended soil with Paecilomyces lilacinus, there
was better root development due to control of
Effect of NPK and farm yard manure on the accumulation of forskolin