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<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">FYI, costus, a.k.a. <EM>kuth</EM>
(<EM>Saussurea costus</EM> (FALC.) LIPSCH., syn: <EM>Saussurea lappa</EM>
(DECNE.) C.B. CLARKE) is one of the 32 prioritized medicinal plants identified
by India's National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) for contract farming projects
(</FONT><A href="http://nmpb.nic.in/prioritisedmedicinalplants.htm"><FONT
face="Trebuchet MS">http://nmpb.nic.in/prioritisedmedicinalplants.htm</FONT></A><FONT
face="Trebuchet MS">). The NMPB provides details on kuth cultivation at the
following link: </FONT><A href="http://nmpb.nic.in/kuth.htm"><FONT
face="Trebuchet MS">http://nmpb.nic.in/kuth.htm</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Josef Brinckmann</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Consultant on Market Intelligence
for Medicinal Plants & Extracts</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">International Trade Centre (ITC) /
UNCTAD</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><A
href="mailto:brink@sonic.net">brink@sonic.net</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=justify><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"></FONT> </DIV>
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<TD><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=+1> Kuth</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=5><I><FONT
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=-1><B>
SAUSSUREA LAPPA
</B></FONT></I><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=-1><B>C.B. CLARKE FAMILY -
ASTERACEAE</B></FONT></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
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<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>Kuth is
a robust erect, perennial plant with large leaves. Roots stout up to
60 cm long. Root is used medicinally. Flowering & fruits period
- August-September, seeds collected during September-October.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>COMMON NAMES</B>: Kur, Kusthah and Costus </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>LOCATION:</B> Himanchal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar
Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim & Arunachal Paradesh.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2><B>PART
USED:</B> Tuberous Root</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B><FONT size=3>CULTIVATION:</FONT></B></FONT></P>
<P><B><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>SOIL
AND CLIMATE</FONT></B></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>Sandy
textured loam soil, rich in moisture and organic carbon is best for
germination as well as better survival of seedlings and
productivity. The plant grows in temperate and sub-alpine
region.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>PLANTING</B> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2>Cultivation and nursery of Kuth Bio-edaphic conditions at an
altitude of 1200-1800 m is suitable. The seeds are sown in April or
May in nursery. When the seedling are +<SUB>_</SUB> 15 cm long, it
is transplanted in field. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>IRRIGATION</B></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>The
crop requires 5-6 irrigations between May-September. The land is
irrigated when seeds are sprouting.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>MANURES, FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES </B></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>The
medicinal plants have to be grown without chemical fertilizers and
use of pesticides. Organic manures like, Farm Yard Manure (FYM),
Vermi-Compost, Green Manure etc. may be used as per requirement of
the species. To prevent diseases, bio-pesticides could be prepared
(either single or mixture) from Neem (kernel, seeds & leaves),
Chitrakmool, Dhatura, Cow's urine etc. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>HARVESTING/POST-HARVESTING</B><BR><BR>Usually in 2-3 years
well grown mature root tubers are developed. However, yield is
obtained form 3 years old crop. Root is harvested in early September
or October or early spring. The roots are cleaned with water and
dried for processing.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>YIELD</B></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>After
2-3 years of planting about 200-300 kg. of dry tuberous roots per
hectare can be obtained. The market rate is Rs.40-45 per
kg.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>ECONOMICS</B></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2>Expenditure per ha Rs.14000/- <BR>Return per ha
Rs.45000/-<BR>Net income per ha Rs.31000/- <FONT
size=1><SUB>(YEAR-2001)</SUB></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=1><B>Note:</B> Market for medicinal plants is volatile and the
economics may vary.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>INSTITUTE TO BE CONTACTED:</B></FONT></P>
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<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2><B>HERBAL GARDEN, HERBARIUM & RESEARCH INSTITUTE,
JOGINDER NAGAR, GOVT OF H.P. </B></FONT></P>
<P><B><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size=2>INSTITUTE OF HIMALAYAN BIO-RESOURCE, TECH., PALAMPUR,
P.BOX, NO.6,
H.P.</FONT></B></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=cpkala@rediffmail.com href="mailto:cpkala@rediffmail.com">C Prakash
Kala</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=robyn@rrreading.com
href="mailto:robyn@rrreading.com">Robyn Klein</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A
title=MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org
href="mailto:MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org">MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 27, 2003 8:53
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [MPWG] Re: Saussurea</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<P>Dear Robyn,<BR><BR>Yes, some of the Saussurea species are being
over-collected from some of the pockets. There are many species of Saussurea
and few of them are also known for religious values. Thus the collection is
for both the medical and religious purposes. I assume that S. costus is mostly
dominate the market and also being cultivated by the farmers in Uttaranchal,
Himachal and Jammu-Kashmir areas of Indian Himalayas. <BR>Due to the habitat
specificity and narrow range of distribution almost all the Saussurea species
growing in the high altitude of the Himalayas need conservation.<BR><BR>With
best wishes,<BR><BR>CP Kala<BR><BR>On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 Robyn Klein wrote
:<BR>>Greeting Dr. Kala,<BR>><BR>>I am an herbalist and graduate
student in the U.S. Some of my herbalist colleagues have asked a few questions
which you may be able to answer.<BR>><BR>>Are Saussurea species (kushta)
being over collected in their native areas? Are there efforts to
cultivate Saussurea species for use in the medicinal plant
market?<BR>><BR>>Which species of Saussurea dominate the market?
Which ones are in need of conservation efforts? I will pass this on to
Herbal Hall, a private email discussion list of herbalist
practitioners.<BR>><BR>>Thank you for any information you can
supply.<BR>>Kind Regards,<BR>><BR>>Robyn Klein<BR>>Masters
Graduate Student, Dept Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology<BR>>Montana State
University<BR>><BR></P><BR><BR><A
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