This column covers information on the introduction of new , under-utilized plants and cultivation practices of plants suitable for wastelands and other regions. The information shall be contributed articles by authors or compiled by editors. Contribution of articles by growers with cultural practices, source and economics are solicited. Economicevaluation of ( nUI;'e,,, Gaertn.) Cultivation in Sanapal Lake, Manipur Valley

AlkaJaint, R S Singh2 and H Birkumar Singh1' !Regional Research Laboratory, Manipur Substation (CSIR), Lamphelpat - 795 004, Manipur

2 Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR),Jorhat 785 006, Assam 'Correspondent author, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract round floating . Leaves 20-80 cm, sub-orbicular, shallowly notched, apicu• late at one side terminating in a simple Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.), a rooted hydrophyte has mul• vein; glabrous and glaucous on both sur• tiple uses in the valley of Manipur; it is edible apart from its religious and faces. The rootstalk is stout, creeping and medicinal values. A sum of Rs 57,000 was generated during 2002 by selling fixed in the soil. The are generally various parts of lotus from the Sanapat Lake (55 hectares lotus growing area) purple or white with numerous sepals and of Manipur valley.The systematic cultivation of lotus is not only good to im• . Fruits are large enclosing numer• prove local economy of the people but also helps in conservation of various ous carpels, top-shaped, flat-topped 5-10 . cm across borne well above water, with Keywords: Lotus, Cultivation,Economic uses, Manipur valley,Wetlands numerous deeply imbedded in spongy torus. There are two varieties of IPC Code; Int. cl,7 -A01G 1/00, A23L1/052, A61K35n8 lotus in Manipur. They are Nelumbo nucifera var. alba (white form) and N Introduction (Bengali); Suriyakamal (Gujarati); nucifera var. rubra (pink formY Kamala (); Tamara Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera (); Thambal (Manipuri); Gaertn. syn. Nelumbium speciosum Kamal (Marathi); Padam (Oriya); Willd. (Family-) is Nilufa (Persian); Pamposh (Punjabi); indigenous to the region from to Abja, ambuja (Sanskrit); Pabban Australia!. In India it is sacred to Hindus. (Sindhi); Ambal (Tamil); Kalung It is a national flowerof India and is called (Telegu) and Nilufer (Urdu). It is a large as Podum (Assamese); Kombol perennial erect aquatic herb with big Nelumbo nucifera var. alba

Natural Product R,,!diance Vol 3(6) November-December 2004 and seeds are used to check vomiting and help promot• ing flowof urine in children and are considered anti• bacterial. are employed in piles, dysentery,in• digestion and paste is used for ring• Nelumbo nucifera var. rubra worm, skin prob- Fruit 4-7 In Manipur all the parts of lotus lems, and . are used for various purposes. Roots are These rooted hydrophytes are edible and used medicinally in diabetes. commonly grown in the wetlands of east• Singju - a traditional salad mixture pre• ern India especially in Manipur. But in pared. by recent years the population of this plant cutting or slicing various plant parts in the wild habitat is declining due to including of lotus and added with shrinkage ofwetlands and land use/cover common salt and chillypowder, etc. is re• change of water bodies. Smallpopulation garded as one of the most delicious food of them is also cultivated in the ponds of items. Fruits are edible and eaten raw to many of the households in the valley of Seeds normalize blood level.During 'Kang' Manipur as it is sacred to them and be• festivalseeds are used as and lieved that it lowers the level ofwater pol• Cultivation lamina is used as plate for servingcooked lution. It is widely cultivated in Kashmir. . Tender leaf, petiole and flowers are Scientific cultivation of lotus may earn The Sanapat Lake (fresh water also edible and used medicinally to re• significant income for the local people lake), a sub-basin of Loktak Lake (a move intestinal worms, for better urina• apart from conserving the wetlands. The Ramsar Site) lies at 24°40' N and 93°51' tion, vomiting and against dizziness. Peti• present study is on economic evaluation E at an altitude of 776 m above mean sea ole paste is applied on forehead in exces• of lotus cultivation in Sanapat Lake of level and is located in the Bishnupur sive body temperature. Ripe seeds are Manipur valley. district of Manipur state in the north eaten raw in blood sugar and as eyetoner. eastern India. The name 'sana' In other parts of country the mean golden and 'pat' means pounded leaves are applied to the body lake; it was a beautiful lake in the for high fever, skin diseases, to relieve recent past but now the lake is headache; young leaves are used in piles, dying up rapidly and facing a leprosy and painful urination. The petioles serious threat from various biotic provide a cooling effect when there is a pressures especiallyhuman activi• burning sensation on the body. It helps in ties like artificial lake moc}i• bleeding piles and used for excessive fication, marginal paddy culti• bleeding during menstruation. The fruits vationand unscientificexploitation Roots

Natural Product Radiance Vol 3(6) November-December 2004 of resources. The depth of the lake water the seeds buried inside the , Lotus roots are sold in the market during varies from 1.2 to 2.6 m during rainy which can be collected as planting November-February @ Rs 20 per kg. season but almost dries up during winter materials. During 2002, Rs 14,000 was generated season. The.physico-chemical parameter from selling of lotus. roots from Sanapat of lake water showed: pH, Economic Evaluation Lake (Table 1). The income generated 5.8-7.16; conductivity, 36.7-93.33 /.!S; from lotus is @ Rs 1036 per hectare. dissolved oxygen, 2.12-13.14; chloride, To evaluate economics of lotus Besides, significant income was 4.79-22.30; phosphate , cultivation resource extraction pattern also generated from . About 100 0.021-0.32; and ammonium nitrogen was estimated from field observation families shared the benefit, which is 0.022-0.82 mg/l; biological oxygen and discussion with the user groups for @ Rs 570 per household per annum. demand, 1.12-12.61 gm/l; chemical three different seasons namely winter oxygen demand, 0.92-13.04 mgll; and (November to February), summer Conclusion total ~nitrogen, 0.86-9.64 mgll (Jain & (March to May) and rainy (June to Singh, 2003)3. Out of the 212 ha area of October). The quantity of lotus parts Scientific cultivation and the lake, 55 ha area is currently under extracted was estimated through harvesting can definitely enhance the luxuriant growth of lotus. questionnaire with the user groups and productivity and hence can generate more Globalwetlands and other water physicalverificationin the field on monthly income. The restoration of wetlands and bodies are dryingup rapidly.Fellingdown basis. The total quantity was pooled on their resources and biodiversityfor future, of trees and other vegetation in the hilly seasonal basis and finallyto yearly basis. the research and information exchange regions and other catchments and The price of the various parts of lotus and conservation activities through joint land-useandland-coverchangesarethemajor was recorded from the user groups and and effective research oriented program threat for depletion of water bodies. also from the sellers in the Imphal market with the participation of local community Sanapat Lake in Manipur valley is threat• (Statecapital). Although,tender shootlleaf is necessary. Sanapat Lake has shrunk by ened due to digging of artificial canal and roots are sold in the market in bundles 62 % of its area within a span of (Merakhong Canal Project) and marginal (lump-sum) basis, the price was estimated 22 years mainly due to lake modification paddy cultivation.Chemicalfertilizers and on per kg basis. The price of flowers and and marginal paddy cultivation3• The other pesticides used in the marginal fruits are on number/piece basis. lake is receiving pressure from its paddy.cultivation will definitely affect the A total income of Rs 57,000 was surrounding human activitiesthat is surely quality of the lake water and in turn the generated by selling lotus from the going to be a major threat for its longevity biological resources it supports. As the Sanapat Lake during 2002 (Table 1). and in turn to the survivabilityoflotus and wetlands ofManipur are depletingfast, the A quantity of 850 kg of tender shoots and other biological resources. As the population of lotus is also declining at the tender leaves was harvested from the lake medicinal uses of lotus have been same pace. during 2002 that fetched Rs 10,200 established globally,its conservation and The lotus plant is perennial and as it was sold @ Rs 12 per kg. Leaflamina commercial cultivationin India is essential. grows automatically in the subsequent was sold in the market for serving years and hence the farmers do not give cooked-rice during 'Kang' festival and Acknowledgements attention for its cultivation. In Manipur, generated an income of Rs 12,000 per cultivation of lotus is generally done annum, which was sold @ Rs 8 per kg. The authors are thankful to through favourably during About 12,000 flowers of lotus were Dr. P.G. Rao, Director of Regional February-March. Cultivation through harvested annually and fetched Rs 12,000. Research Laboratory (CSIR), Jorhat for mature seeds is also commonly observed Lotus fruit is sold in the market during the facilities. The fellowship provided and is greatly successful. Alarge number July-September, which costs @ Rs 1.5 per from CSIR, New Delhi to the author of seedlings generally come out from fruit and fetched Rs 9,000 during 2002. (AJ) is acknowledged.

Natural Product Radiance Vol 3(6) November-December 2004 Green...~alLe

Table 1: Lotus extraction pattern and income generation during 2002

Parts used *Market price (Rs) Season **Total harvest Income (Rs)

Tender shoot 12.00 Winter 250 3,000 Summer 600 7,200 Rainy Total 850 10,200 Leaf 8.00 Winter Summer Rainy 1,500 12,000 Total 1,500 12,000 1.00 Winter Summer Rainy 12,000 Total 12,000 12,000 Fruit 1.00 Winter Summer • Rainy • 9,000 9,00014,000 I 6,0008,0009,000 400Total 57,000 3009,000 700 Root 20.00 Winter Summer Rainy Total Grand Total

Source: Primary survey data: * price for tender shoot, leaf and root are on per kg basis; flower and fruits on per piece basis; ** tender shoot, I leaf and roots are in kg whereas flower and fruits are on number basis.

References 4. Kurian JC, Plants That Heals, (Orien• (methanolic extract) in tal Watchman Publishing House, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, 1. Lawrence GHM, of vascu• Pune, India), 1995,319. Phytother Res, 1996, 9(7), 522-524. lar Plants, (Macmillan Company, New 5. Mukherjee PK, Saba K, Giri SN, Pal M York, USA), 1951,823. and Saba BP, Antifungal screening of 7. Murtaza N, Mirza M, Yaqeen Z and 2. Singh HB, Singh RS and Sandhu JS, Nelumbo nucifera Badar Y, Studies on antibacterial Herbal Medicine of Manipur, A Colour (Nymphaeaceae) rhizome extract, activity of Nelumbium speciosum Encyclopaedia, (Daya Publishing Indian J Microbiol, 1995,35(4), Willd. seed extract, Pak J Sci Ind House, New Delhi), 2003. 327-330. Res, 1995,37(6-7),269-272.

3. Jain A and Singh RS, Study of Sanapat 6. Mukherjee PK, Saba K, Girl SN, Pal M in Manipur Valley, and Saba BP, Hypoglycaemic activity India, Annual Report submitted to of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Fam. CSIR,2003. Nymphaeaceae) rhizome

Natural Product Radiance Vol 3(6) November-December 2004