Aonla
Aonla
or Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) is an indigenous fruit to
Indian subcontinent. Owing to hardy nature, suitability to various waste-lands,
high productivity/unit area (15–20t/ha), nutritive and therapeutic value aonla
have become an important fruit.
Its fruits are a rich source of vitamin ‘C’.
Aonla fruit is highly valued among indigenous medicines. It is acrid, cooling,
refrigerant, diuretic and laxative. Dried fruits have been reported to be
useful in haemorrhages, diarrhoea, dysentery, anaemia, jaundice, dyspepsia and
cough. Trifla and chavanprash are well-known indigenous medicines
in Ayurvedic system using aonla. Besides fruits, leaves, bark and even seeds
are being used for various purposes.
Its cultivation is common in India, particularly
in Uttar Pradesh comprising Pratapgarh, Rai Bareilly, Varanasi, Jaunpur,
Sultanpur, Kanpur, Agra and Mathura. Its intensive plantation is being done in
the salt-affected areas of Uttar Pradesh, including ravinous areas in Agra, Mathura,
Etawah, Fatehpur and semi-arid tract of Bundelkhand. Aonla cultivation is also
spreading rapidly in the semi-arid regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Aravali ranges in Haryana and Kandi area
in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh extending to Ghar area in Uttar Pradesh.
Climate and soil
Aonla is a subtropical plant and prefers dry
subtropical climate. Heavy frost during winter is not conducive to its
cultivation. A mature aonla tree can tolerate freezing as well as high
temperature of 46°C. Warm temperature seems conducive for the initiation of
floral buds. Ample humidity is essential for initiation of fruit growth of
dormant fruitlets during July–August. Dry spells result in heavy dropping and
delay in initiation of fruit growth.
Since aonla is a hardy plant, it can be
successfully grown in variable soil conditions. The deep root system, reduced
foliage, dormancy of fertilized fruitlets (April–June) makes aonla an ideal
plant for arid and semi-arid conditions. Aonla can be cultivated in marginal
soils—slightly acidic to saline/sodic (pH 6.5–9.5) conditions. Heavy soils or
high watertable areas are not suited for its cultivation.
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