AMLA

Amla is commonly known as an Indian gooseberry or Nelli. It is known for its high medicinal properties.  Its fruits are used for preparing various drugs. Drugs prepared from amla used for treatment of anemia, sores, diarrhea, toothache, fever and sores. Fruits are the rich source of vitamin-C. The green fruits of amla are also used in making pickles. Many products such as shampoo, hair oil, dye, tooth powder and face creams are made from amla. It is a branching tree with average height of 8-18 m with glabrous branches. Flowers are greenish-yellow in color and are of two type’s i.e. male flower and female flower.  Fruits are pale-yellow in color and are 1.3-1.6 cm in diameter. Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are major amla growing states in India.

Owing to its hardy nature it is grown in variety of soils. It is grown in slightly acidic to saline soils and can be grown in calcareous(choona) soil. It gives best result when grown under fertile-loamy soil with good drainage system. It can also tolerate moderate alkaline soil. It requires pH of soil ranging 6.5-9.5. Avoid cultivation in heavy soils.

Banarasi: It is an early maturing variety, matures in mid-October to mid-November. It has large sized fruits i.e. 48 gm in weight, skin is smooth and fruits are not for preservation purpose. The variety contains 1.4% fiber content.

Krishna: It is also an early maturing variety, matures in mid-October to mid-November. It has medium to large sized fruits i.e. 44.6g in weight, skin is smooth and stripe is well marked. The variety contains 1.4% fiber content.

NA-9: It is also an early maturing variety, matures in mid-October to mid-November. It has large sized fruits i.e. 50.3g having oblong shape, skin is smooth and thin. The variety contains low fiber content i.e. 0.9% and highest ascorbic content i.e. 100g. It is used for making jams, jellies and candies.

NA-10: It is also an early maturing variety, matures in mid-October to mid-November. It has medium to large sized fruits i.e. 41.5g in weight, skin is rough and have 6 distinct segments. Flesh is whitish-green in color having 1.5% of fiber content.

Francis: It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. It has large size fruit i.e. 45.8g in weight having greenish white in color. Fiber content is moderate i.e. 1.5%. The variety also known as Hathi Jhool because of its drooping branches.

NA-7: It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. The fruits are medium to large sized i.e. 44g in weight and are greenish-white in color. The fiber content is 1.5% in this variety.

Kanchan: It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. The fruits are small in size i.e. 30.2g in weight. It contains 1.5% fiber content and has medium ascorbic acid content.

NA-6: It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. The fruits are medium in size i.e. 38.8g in weight. The fiber content is lowest i.e. 0.8%, ascorbic content is moderate i.e. 100g and have low phenolic content. It is used for making jams and candies.

Chakaiya: It is a late maturing crop, matures in mid-December to mid-January. The fruits are medium sized i.e. 33.4g in weight. It contains 789mg/100g of ascorbic content, 3.4% pectin content and 2% fiber content. It is used for making pickles and drying shreds.

For Amla plantation, it required well ploughed and organic soil. To bring soil to fine tilth, plough land before planting. Organic fertilizers such as FYM are mixed with the soil. Then nursery beds are prepared 2.5cm deep and 15cm x 15cm size.

Time of sowing
Amla cultivation is done in the month of July to September. In Udaipur cultivation is done in the month of January to February.

Spacing
Sow budded seedling at a distance of 4.5m x 4.5m in the month of May-June.
 
Sowing Depth
The pits of 1m3 are dug and are left as such for 15-20 days for exposure to sun.

Method of sowing
Transplanting of budded seedlings in main field. 

Seed Rate
For good growth use seed rate of 200 gm/acre.

Seed treatment
To protect crop from soil borne disease and pest and for better germination, before sowing seeds are treated with Gibberellic acid @200-500ppm. After chemical treatment seeds are air-dried.

Nutrient Requirement (gm/plant)

At the time of land preparation, apply 10 kg FYM and mix well with soil. Apply fertilizer dose of N:P:K in the form of nitrogen @100g/plant, phosphorus @50g/plant and potassium @100g/plant. Fertilizer dose is given to one year old plant and increased constantly up to 10 years. Full dose of phosphorus and half dose of potassium and nitrogen are given as basal dose in the month of January-February.  The remaining half dose is given in the month of august. In sodic soils, boron and zinc sulphate @100-500 gm is given as per tree age and vigour.

In summer, apply irrigation with interval of 15 days and in winter, give water through drips @25-30litres/day/tree in October-December month. In monsoon month, it does not require irrigation. Avoid irrigation during the flowering period.

• Pest and their control:

Bark eating caterpillar: They damage the stem and bark by feeding themselves.
Application of quinalphos @0.01% or fenvalerate @0.05% is given in their holes to protect from insect.

Gall caterpillar: They bore in apical meristem and makes tunnel.
Application of Dimethoate @0.03% is given to control the pest.

• Disease and their control:
  

Rust: Circular red rust appear on the leaves and on fruits.
Application of Indofil M-45 @0.3% is given twice. Once is given in early September and then after 15 days to control crop from disease.
 

Internal necrosis: Mainly caused due to the deficiency of boron. Tissues turn brown and then black are the symptoms of this disease.
Application of boron @0.6% is done in the month of September to October to get rid of this disease.
 

Fruit rot: The symptoms of this disease are swelling and color changing of fruits.
Application of borax or NaCl @0.1%-0.5% is done to cure from this disease.

Plant starts yielding in about 7-8 years after planting. Harvesting is done in the month of February when fruits are green in color and have maximum ascorbic acid content. Harvesting is done by vigorous shaking of tree. When fruits get fully mature they turn into dull greenish-yellow color. For processing and seeds extraction, mature fruits are used.

After harvesting, grading is done. Then fruits are packed in bamboo baskets or crates or wooden boxes. For the less spoilage of crop perfect packing is done and quick transport is required. From amla fruits several products like amla powder, churna, chavanprash, arista and sweet preserves are made. 

1.Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana

2.Department of Agriculture

3.Indian Agricultural Research Instittute, New Delhi

4.Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research

5.Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare