Category : Medicinal
Group : Cultivated
Plant Type : Shrubs
Botanical Name : Cassia angustifolia
Common Name : Senna
Group : Cultivated
Plant Type : Shrubs
Botanical Name : Cassia angustifolia
Common Name : Senna
Uses :
• Senna is used in medicine as a cathartic.
• It is especially useful in habitual constipation.
Parts-Used :
• Leaves
• Fruits
Yield-Per-Ha :
• 15 q/ha of dry leaves and 7 q/ha of pods.
Origin & Distribution :
It is indigenous to Somalia, Southern Arabia and part of Sindh (Pakistan) and the Kutch area of Gujarat. In India, it is cultivated in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu it is cultivated in the districts of Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Salem and Tiruchirapalli.
Description : Senna was first used medicinally by Arabian Physician as far back as the 9th century A.D. It has long found use in traditional Arabic and European medicine as well, primarily as a cathartic. It is also an ornamental plant.
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• Senna is used in medicine as a cathartic.
• It is especially useful in habitual constipation.
Parts-Used :
• Leaves
• Fruits
Yield-Per-Ha :
• 15 q/ha of dry leaves and 7 q/ha of pods.
Origin & Distribution :
It is indigenous to Somalia, Southern Arabia and part of Sindh (Pakistan) and the Kutch area of Gujarat. In India, it is cultivated in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu it is cultivated in the districts of Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Salem and Tiruchirapalli.
Description : Senna was first used medicinally by Arabian Physician as far back as the 9th century A.D. It has long found use in traditional Arabic and European medicine as well, primarily as a cathartic. It is also an ornamental plant.
Family : Fabaceae
Order : Fabsles
Species :
• Cassia angustifolia Vahl.
Description :
Senna was first used medicinally by Arabian Physician as far back as the 9th century A.D. It has long found use in traditional Arabic and European medicine as well, primarily as a cathartic. It is also an ornamental plant.
Order : Fabsles
Species :
• Cassia angustifolia Vahl.
Description :
Senna was first used medicinally by Arabian Physician as far back as the 9th century A.D. It has long found use in traditional Arabic and European medicine as well, primarily as a cathartic. It is also an ornamental plant.
View :
• It is small perennial shrub with ascending branches.
Leaf :
• Leaves are large, compound and pinnate.
• The full-grown leaflets are bluish-green to pale-green in colour.
Flower :
• Flowers are bright yellow in colour, arranged in axillary, erect, many-flowered racemes.
Fruit :
• Fruits are legumes which is flat, 4-7 cm long and 1.5 – 1.7 cm broad having 5-7 dark brown ovate.
• It is green in the beginning changing to greenish-brown to dark brown on maturity and drying.
Seeds :
• Seeds are smooth, compressed and dark-brown.
Height-of-Maturity:
• It grows 0.6 to 1 m tall
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• It is small perennial shrub with ascending branches.
Leaf :
• Leaves are large, compound and pinnate.
• The full-grown leaflets are bluish-green to pale-green in colour.
Flower :
• Flowers are bright yellow in colour, arranged in axillary, erect, many-flowered racemes.
Fruit :
• Fruits are legumes which is flat, 4-7 cm long and 1.5 – 1.7 cm broad having 5-7 dark brown ovate.
• It is green in the beginning changing to greenish-brown to dark brown on maturity and drying.
Seeds :
• Seeds are smooth, compressed and dark-brown.
Height-of-Maturity:
• It grows 0.6 to 1 m tall
(1)
Variety
Name : ALFT-2
Features :
• It is developed by Gujarat Agriculture University.
• It remains in a vegetative stage till 100 days.
• It is suitable for growing exclusively as leaf-crop.
(2) Variety
Name : Sona
Features :
• It is released by the CIMAP, Lucknow.
• It is high-yielding crop.
(3) Variety
Name : Trinelvelli
Features :
• It is released by Tamil Nadu Agriculture University Coimbatore.
Name : ALFT-2
Features :
• It is developed by Gujarat Agriculture University.
• It remains in a vegetative stage till 100 days.
• It is suitable for growing exclusively as leaf-crop.
(2) Variety
Name : Sona
Features :
• It is released by the CIMAP, Lucknow.
• It is high-yielding crop.
(3) Variety
Name : Trinelvelli
Features :
• It is released by Tamil Nadu Agriculture University Coimbatore.
Climate :
• It requires bright sunshine for its successful growth.
• An average rainfall should be of 25-40 cm.
• Heavy rains and cloudy weather during growth are harmful to the crop.
Soil :
• The crop can thrive on a variety of soils.
• Red loams, alluvial loams and rich clayey soil is suitable for the crop
• The average pH ranges should be from 7-8.5.
• It is very sensitive to water-logging and, hence it is grown only on well drained soils.
Season- of- Month :
January- February or June-July months are suitable for its sowing.
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• It requires bright sunshine for its successful growth.
• An average rainfall should be of 25-40 cm.
• Heavy rains and cloudy weather during growth are harmful to the crop.
Soil :
• The crop can thrive on a variety of soils.
• Red loams, alluvial loams and rich clayey soil is suitable for the crop
• The average pH ranges should be from 7-8.5.
• It is very sensitive to water-logging and, hence it is grown only on well drained soils.
Season- of- Month :
January- February or June-July months are suitable for its sowing.
Land Preparation :
• It needs 2-3 cross-ploughing, harrowing and levelling.
• The land is prepared deep and exposed to the sun for 15-20 days to dry out the roots of perennial weeds.
• FYM is incorporated into the soil at the time of the final cross-ploughing.
• Then the land is laid out into plots of convenient sizes.
Cropping Method Description :
• The crop is raised from seeds.
• Soak the seeds in cold water for 10-12 hours and then dry in shade before sowing.
• Since the seeds have a hard seed coat, and it may be softened by rubbing the seeds against a rough surface like sandpaper.
• In the main field beds of suitable size have to be prepared.
• In these beds, ridges and furrows have to be opened at a distance of one and a half feet.
• Dibble the seeds on one side of the ridge at a distance of 30 cm and 2 cm deep and irrigate the beds lightly.
• Germination starts after 4 to 5 days of sowing and is over in another one week.
• 5 kg of seeds are required for this method of sowing.
• It needs 2-3 cross-ploughing, harrowing and levelling.
• The land is prepared deep and exposed to the sun for 15-20 days to dry out the roots of perennial weeds.
• FYM is incorporated into the soil at the time of the final cross-ploughing.
• Then the land is laid out into plots of convenient sizes.
Cropping Method Description :
• The crop is raised from seeds.
• Soak the seeds in cold water for 10-12 hours and then dry in shade before sowing.
• Since the seeds have a hard seed coat, and it may be softened by rubbing the seeds against a rough surface like sandpaper.
• In the main field beds of suitable size have to be prepared.
• In these beds, ridges and furrows have to be opened at a distance of one and a half feet.
• Dibble the seeds on one side of the ridge at a distance of 30 cm and 2 cm deep and irrigate the beds lightly.
• Germination starts after 4 to 5 days of sowing and is over in another one week.
• 5 kg of seeds are required for this method of sowing.
(1)
Insect : Carea subtilis (Leaf eating caterpillar)
Damage :
• It feeds the leaves of the green senna.
Controls :
• It is controlled by spraying Carbaryl at 4g/l, periodically in the growing season.
(2)
Insect : Catopsilia pyranthae (White butterfly)
Damage :
• It attacks on the crop.
• It reduces production of the crop.
Controls :
• Attack of this insect can be minimized by sowing the crop in March-April, instead of Jun-July in North India.
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Insect : Carea subtilis (Leaf eating caterpillar)
Damage :
• It feeds the leaves of the green senna.
Controls :
• It is controlled by spraying Carbaryl at 4g/l, periodically in the growing season.
(2)
Insect : Catopsilia pyranthae (White butterfly)
Damage :
• It attacks on the crop.
• It reduces production of the crop.
Controls :
• Attack of this insect can be minimized by sowing the crop in March-April, instead of Jun-July in North India.
(1)
Disease : ---- (Leaf spot)
Identification-Symptoms :
• Small dark grayish spots appears on the leaf surface.
• Later on the spots enlarge to circular areas.
• In severe cases, the entire plant defoliates.
• Due to this, there is poor yielding of crop.
Controls :
• It is controlled by spraying of 0.15% Dithane M-45 at fortnightly intervals, 2-3 times in a period of 1-1.5 months.
(2)
Disease : Alternaria alterneta (Leaf blight)
Identification-Symptoms :
• It occurs later stage of growth.
• The disease appears on cloudy days and humid weather condition.
• It initially appears as small, brown, irregularly scattered lesions on leaves which grow bigger in size and turn black in later stage.
Controls :
• It is controlled by spraying of 0.15% Dithane M-45 at fortnightly intervals.
(3)
Disease : Rhizoctonia bataticola (Damping-off)
Identification-Symptoms :
• Cool, cloudy weather, high humidity and wet favour development of damping off.
• Damping off kills seedling before or soon after they emerge.
Controls :
• Treat with Thiram or Captan at 2.5 g/kg of seed.
• Affected seedling should be removed and destroyed.
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Disease : ---- (Leaf spot)
Identification-Symptoms :
• Small dark grayish spots appears on the leaf surface.
• Later on the spots enlarge to circular areas.
• In severe cases, the entire plant defoliates.
• Due to this, there is poor yielding of crop.
Controls :
• It is controlled by spraying of 0.15% Dithane M-45 at fortnightly intervals, 2-3 times in a period of 1-1.5 months.
(2)
Disease : Alternaria alterneta (Leaf blight)
Identification-Symptoms :
• It occurs later stage of growth.
• The disease appears on cloudy days and humid weather condition.
• It initially appears as small, brown, irregularly scattered lesions on leaves which grow bigger in size and turn black in later stage.
Controls :
• It is controlled by spraying of 0.15% Dithane M-45 at fortnightly intervals.
(3)
Disease : Rhizoctonia bataticola (Damping-off)
Identification-Symptoms :
• Cool, cloudy weather, high humidity and wet favour development of damping off.
• Damping off kills seedling before or soon after they emerge.
Controls :
• Treat with Thiram or Captan at 2.5 g/kg of seed.
• Affected seedling should be removed and destroyed.
Manures :
• 5-10 t/ha well-rotted FYM should be mixed at the time of sowing.
• It required 80 kg of N, 40 kg of P and 40 kg of K.
• The entire dose of P and K and 50% of N should be applied at the time of sowing, and the remaining 50% of N is to be applied 90 days after sowing.
Irrigation Management :
• Senna can be grown under rainfed conditions.
• Average 30-40 cm rainfall is enough for the crop.
• The crop needs no irrigation except during prolonged drought.
• About 5-8 light irrigations are enough to raise a good crop.
• Heavy irrigations are injurious to the crop.
Weed Control Management :
• It required 2-3 weeding.
• The first weeding should be done at 25-30 days after sowing.
• The second weeding should be done at 75-80 days after sowing.
• The last weeding should be done at 110 days after sowing.
• 5-10 t/ha well-rotted FYM should be mixed at the time of sowing.
• It required 80 kg of N, 40 kg of P and 40 kg of K.
• The entire dose of P and K and 50% of N should be applied at the time of sowing, and the remaining 50% of N is to be applied 90 days after sowing.
Irrigation Management :
• Senna can be grown under rainfed conditions.
• Average 30-40 cm rainfall is enough for the crop.
• The crop needs no irrigation except during prolonged drought.
• About 5-8 light irrigations are enough to raise a good crop.
• Heavy irrigations are injurious to the crop.
Weed Control Management :
• It required 2-3 weeding.
• The first weeding should be done at 25-30 days after sowing.
• The second weeding should be done at 75-80 days after sowing.
• The last weeding should be done at 110 days after sowing.
Harvesting Time :
• Leaves and pods are harvested as both contain a high sennoside content.
• The first picking should be made done at 50-70 days.
• The picking of leaves is done by hand so that most of the growing tops are removed at harvest.
• A second picking is taken at 90-100 days and the third picking between 130-150 days, when the entire plants are removed.
• Leaves and pods are harvested as both contain a high sennoside content.
• The first picking should be made done at 50-70 days.
• The picking of leaves is done by hand so that most of the growing tops are removed at harvest.
• A second picking is taken at 90-100 days and the third picking between 130-150 days, when the entire plants are removed.
Drying :
• The harvested crop should be spread in a thin layer in an open field to reduce its moisture.
• It takes 10-12 days to dry completely.
• The dry leaves will be turned a light-green to greenish-yellow colour.
• A rapid mechanical drying at 400 C could also be attempted.
Packing :
• It is wrapped in gunny bags for export.
Storage :
• Leaves and Pods should be stored in dry place.
• It should be stored in bags.
Transportation :
• In general farmers use bullock carts or tractors for sending the produce to nearby market.
• From market yards, the produce is transported to distance in ordinary trucks and Lorries.
• Perfect packing, care in loading and unloading and quick transport results in less spoilage of crops.
Other-Value-Additions :
• Senna extracts
• Senna powder
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• The harvested crop should be spread in a thin layer in an open field to reduce its moisture.
• It takes 10-12 days to dry completely.
• The dry leaves will be turned a light-green to greenish-yellow colour.
• A rapid mechanical drying at 400 C could also be attempted.
Packing :
• It is wrapped in gunny bags for export.
Storage :
• Leaves and Pods should be stored in dry place.
• It should be stored in bags.
Transportation :
• In general farmers use bullock carts or tractors for sending the produce to nearby market.
• From market yards, the produce is transported to distance in ordinary trucks and Lorries.
• Perfect packing, care in loading and unloading and quick transport results in less spoilage of crops.
Other-Value-Additions :
• Senna extracts
• Senna powder
