Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EVALUATION OF KALMEGH (ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA NEES.) GERMPLASM FOR MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS, YIELD AND ANDROGRAPHOLIDE CONTENT

Manjesh G.N., K. Hima Bindu, K. Umesha. 4G.K. Halesh, M.A. Suryanarayana5 and B. Siddappa

Abstract

Andrographis paniculata Nees. (Acanthaceae), commonly known as Kalmegh is used both in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicines to cure many ailments related to digestion, hepatoprotection, hypoglycaemic and as anti-bacterial, analgesics, anti-inflammatory, vermicidal and anti-cancer. Twenty two genotypes of A. paniculata collected from different parts of India were screened to assess the variability for morphological traits, yield and andrographolides content and to identify superior genotypes. Variability for qualitative traits was found to be limited. Higher number of primary and secondary branches were recorded in IIHR Kalmegh 6 with 23.67, 35.13, respectively. The average dry biomass per plant varied from 9.30g (IIHR Kalmegh 11) to 16.50g (IIHR Kalmegh 6). The highest leaf to stem ratio was observed to be 1.48 (IIHR Kalmegh 6). Mean andrographolide content of herb varied between 2.27 to 4.23%. The highest andrographolide content in leaf was observed in IC342137 (2.69%) and stem andrographolide was recorded in IIHR Kalmegh 13 (1.86%). The results indicated that those genotypes are potentially important sources for breeding, improvement of cultivars and best sources for obtaining higher herb yield coupled with higher potency of andrographolide content required for drug industry.