AMLA

Amla is commonly known as 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, and fever. 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. Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are major Amla growing states in India.
 
Uttar Pradesh is top in Amla production. It is hardy crop, so it is cultivated in salt-affecting areas of Uttar Pradesh like Agra, Mathura, Etawah, Fatehpur also in semi-arid areas of Bundelkhand. Pratapgarh town in Uttar Pradesh is known as Amla City of India. Other amla growing states are, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Sowing 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 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.
 

NA-4 (Kanchan): It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. The fruits are small i.e. 30.2 gm in weight. It contains 1.5% fiber content and has medium ascorbic acid content. The average yield is 121 kg/tree.
 
NA 5 (Krishna): It is also an early maturing variety, matures in mid-October to mid-November. It has medium to large sized fruits i.e. 44.6 gm in weight, skin is smooth and stripe is well marked. The variety contains 1.4% fiber content. The average yield is 123 kg/tree.
 
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. 41.5 gm in weight, skin is rough and have 6 distinct segments. Flesh is whitish-green in color having 1.5% of fiber content.
 
Narendra 6: It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. The fruits are medium in size i.e. 38.8 gm in weight. The fiber content is lowest i.e. 0.8%, ascorbic content is moderate i.e. 100 gm and have low phenolic content. It is used for making jams and candies.
 
Narendra 7 (Promising variety): It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. The fruits are medium to large sized i.e. 44 gm in weight and are greenish-white in color. The fiber content is 1.5% in this variety.
 
NA-9: It is also an early maturing variety, matures in mid-October to mid-November. It has large sized fruits i.e. 50.3 gm having oblong shape, skin is smooth and thin. The variety contains low fiber content i.e. 0.9% and highest ascorbic acid content i.e. 100gm. It is used for making jams, jellies and candies.
 
Other state varieties:
 
Balwant: It is an early maturing variety which matures in the month of mid-November. It has flattened round shape fruits which are moderate in size. The fruits are soft and juicy having inner white flesh and outer skin is green in color. The average yield is 121 kg/tree.
 
Francis: It is a mid-season crop from mid-November to mid-December. It has large size fruit i.e. 45.8 gm in weight, having greenish-white color. Fiber content is moderate i.e. 1.5%. The variety also known as Hathi Jhool because of its drooping branches.
 
Banarasi: Best quality variety, Early maturing variety, big size and has high vitamin content, shiny and is yellowish in color.
 
Green Tinzed: Fruits are green in color and is large in size.
 
Chakiya: The fruits are medium sized i.e. 33.4 gm in weight and is egg shaped. It contains 789 mg/100 g of ascorbic content, 3.4% pectin content and 2% fiber content. It is used for making pickles and drying shreds.
 
Red Tinzed: medium to large sized fruits, flesh is red color from base.
 
White Streaked: White striped, medium size fruits.
 
Katha: Small sized, green in color having white strips on it.
 

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 2.5 cm deep and 15 cm x 15 cm size.

Time of sowing
Amla is planted in field in the month of August or in January-February. In Udaipur cultivation is done in the month of January to February. 
 
Spacing
Plant amla grafting in pits dig at distance of 7-8 meter. Use square method of planting.
 
Sowing Depth
Dig pits of “1 m x 1 m x 1 m” and then left it as it is for 15-20 days for sun exposure. Fill pits with mixture of top soil and farm yard manure.
 
Method of sowing
Transplanting of budded seedlings in main field.
 

Seed Rate
For good growth 70-80 seedlings per acre.
 
Seed treatment
To protect crop from soil borne disease and pest and for better germination, treat seeds with Gibberellic acid@200-500ppm before sowing. After chemical treatment seeds are air-dried.
 

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

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 to one year old plant. Gradually increased Fertilizer dose upto 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 @100-500g is given as per tree age and vigour.

Do frequent weeding to make field weed free. Training and pruning is also done. Criss cross branches are cut and only 4-5 straight branches are left behind for further growth.
 
Mulching is also an effective way to control soil weeds. In summer, mulching is done from the base of tree up to 15-10 cm of the trunk.
 

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 diseases.

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.