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Classification

Kingdom : Division Class: Order : Family : Plantae Flowering plant Magnoliopsida Malpighiales Phyllanthaceae

Tribe : Subtribe : Genus : Species: Botanical name :

Phyllantheae Fluegginae Phyllanthus P. emblica Phyllanthus emblica

medicinal plant amla Introduction:


The Amla or Neelikkai is also called Amalka in Hindi.
Sanskrit its name is Amalaki, which translates as the sustainer or the fruit where the goddess of prosperity presides. The English term for Amla is Indian gooseberry; Emblic Myrobalam It is a small tree with leathery leaves and a fleshy fruit.

Amla is one of the richestnaturalsources of vitaminC, itsfreshjuicecontainingnearlytwenty times as much vitamin C as orange juice.

A single tiny Amla is equivalent in vitamin C content to two oranges.


Clinical tests on patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis have shown that this high concentrate is more quickly assimilated then the synthetic vitamin. Stamps are also released on amla

Amala Plant:

A small to medium sized deciduous tree, 8-18m. in height with crooked trunk and spreading branches. simple, sub sessile;
greenish-yellow;

Leaves
flower fruit

nearly spherical pale yellow with 6 vertical furrows

Cultivation

SOIL AND CLIMATE Amla can be grown in light as well as heavy soils except purely sandy soil. Calcareous soil with rocky substratum can also be good. However, well drained fertile loamy soil is the best for higher yield. The plant have capacity for adaptation to dry regions and can also grow in moderately alkaline soils. It is grown extensively under tropical condition. Annual rainfall of 630-800 mm have given good yield. The young plants up to the age of 3 years should be protected from hot wind during May-June and from frost during winter months. The mature plants can tolerate freezing temperature as well as temperature up to 460C

PLANTING

Amla is generally propagated through seeds, but seed propagated trees bear inferior quality fruits and have a long gestation period. Shield budding is done on one year old seedlings with buds collected from superior strains yielding big size fruits. Older trees of inferior types can be rejuvenated and easily changed into superior type by top working. The pits of 1m3 are prepared during May-June at a distance of 4.5 m spacing and should be left for 15-20 days exposed to sunlight. Each pit should be filled with surface soil mixed with 15 kg farm yard manure and one kg of super phosphate

THINNING AND WEEDING


Weeding

nursery

& Hoeing is required in

MANURES,FERTILISERS & PESTICIDES

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.

Biofertilizers such as Azotobacter, phosphobacterium and Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM) boost the plant growth

IRRIGATION

Amla plants hardly require irrigation during monsoon. Young plants require watering during summer months at 15 days interval till they have fully established. Watering of mature fruit bearing plants is advised during summer months at bi-weekly intervals to increase fruit set and to reduce fruit drop. It responds very well to drip irrigation. After the monsoon rains, during October-December about 25-30 litres of water per day per tree through drips should be given

HARVESTING/ POST HARVESTING


Amla seedlings start bearing fruits in 7-8 years after planting, while the budded clones will start bearing fruits from the 5th year onwards. The fruits are light green at first, but when they mature become dull greenish yellow.
Best harvesting time of Amla fruits is February when the fruits have maximum ascorbic acid content. In South India, fruits are found throughout the year.

The

mature fruits are hard and they do not fall for gentle touch and therefore vigorous shaking is required. getting attractive prices fruits after harvest should be made into different grades depending on the size. can also be harvested using long bamboo poles attached with hooks.

For

Fruits

YIELD

A matured tree of about 10 years will yield 50-70 kg of fruit.


The average weight of the fruits is 60-70 g. One kg contains about 1`5-20 number of fruits. A well maintained tree will be yielding up to an age of 70 years.

The yield increases year by year up to 50 years.

Amala as Medicinal Herb


Amla

is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C, its fresh juice containing nearly twenty times as much vitamin C as orange juice. Clinical tests on patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis have shown that this high concentrate is more quickly assimilated then the synthetic vitamin.

It

is an ingredient of many Ayurvedic medicines and tonics, as it removes excessive salivation, nausea, vomiting, giddiness, spermatorrhoea, internal body heat and menstrual disorders. Because it is also cooling, it increases sattwa, and is an excellent liver tonic

Ayurveda recommends taking a tonic made from the fruit throughout the winter months. The fresh fruit is a diuretic and a laxative. A cooling and refreshing drink can be made from it. Ayurvedic doctors ( Vaidya) recommend drinking the juice during the summer months when the bodys functions become sluggish due to the heat. To clear the bowels and correct digestion boil four teaspoons of Amla powder, four teaspoons of Myrobalans Chebulic and four teaspoons of Bahera, in twenty ounces of water. For best results, two ounces should be consumed in the early morning on an empty stomach.

The dried Amla fruit is astringent and useful in cases of diarrhoea and dysentery. It is also a very important ingredient in the famous Chyavanaprash, and a constituent of Triphala (three fruits) powder. The application of a small quantity of Amla oil to the head before bathing removes diseases of the eyes, night blindness and bilious giddiness. Amla confection is used in syphilis, flatulence, bronchitis, asthma and consumption. A series of clinicaltests on the Amla have found that the fruit contains elements that are anti-viral, raise the total protein level in the body, activate the adrenaline response, and protect against tremors and convulsions beauty The Amla is also said to bestow .

Unlike other preserves Amla does not lose its properties over time but retains its curative power and quality. Dried Amla is an excellent digestive, which can be consumed after food. According to Ayurveda the traditional medicine system of India Amla fruit is one of the strongest rejuvenators. Amla rebuilds new tissues and increases the red blood cell count It cleanses the mouth, strengthens the teeth, stops the bleeding of gums andimproves eyesight. it nourishes the bones and promotes the growth of healthy, lustrous hair and strong nails It is considered acrid, cooling, astringent, diuretic and laxative.

Amla has most anti-diabetic property.

To prevent or cure diabetes take a fresh one-fourth cup of Amla ora tea spoon of Amla powder with a tea spoon of turmeric powder everyday.

Other uses of Amala


The fruits are used in the preparation of writing inks and hair dyes. The dried fruit is used as shampoo for the head. The leaves and fruits are used as fodder for cattle. The leaves contain a brownish yellow colouring matter.

The wood is red, hard and close-grained; it is liable to split. It is used for agricultural implements, poles and inferior building and furniture work. It is durable under water and is suited for well-work. Amla oil is used as a hair conditioner and an effective preventing for balding and graying of hair

The wood is red, hard and close-grained; it is liable to split. It is used for agricultural implements, poles and inferior building and furniture work.
It is durable under water and is suited for well-work.

Amla oil is used as a hair conditioner and an effective preventing for balding and graying of hair

Food value in Amala


The

nutrition values of Amala are: moisture, 91.4; mineral matter, 0.7; fibre, 3.4; calorie, 96 (energy); protein, 0.9; fat, 0.1; carbohydrate, 6.9g.; calcium, 34; iron, 1.2; vitamin B-1, 0.02; vitamin B-2, 0.08, and vitamin C 463 mg./100gms. The fruit juice contains nearly 20 times as much vitamin C as orange juice and a single fruit is equal in antiscorbutic value to one or two oranges

Amala Side Effects


No

side effect is found.

Economics

Amla is economically viable and bigger fruits can be got from the third year of planting. Each plant will yield about 25 kg of fruits a year. When the trees are five years old, the yield per tree will gradually rise to 50 kg a year. From the 8 th year onwards, the average output per tree will be about 100 kg a year. The cost of raising an amla plantation may be upto to Rs. 1.25 lakh per hectare. The returns from the third year of planting, at an average price of Rs. 10 a kg of fruits, will be about Rs. 2.5 lakhs

Modern Research
Amla

was shown to be an effective food supplement during the treatment of insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, at a study in Coimbatore

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