CIMAP-Chetak
Released in 2011 by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, through half-sib family selection out of Nagori Ashwagandha stock — a high-yielding, semi-vigorous line bred for medium-irrigated areas, with dry root yield about double the check variety it was compared against.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Ashwagandha
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- ~180 days to root maturity (species-level harvest window)
- Seed rate
- 5–12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2–5 kg/acre) — the species-standard rate
- Expected yield
- Dry root yield of 11.77 quintals/ha in the variety's own registration trial, against 5.45 quintals/ha for the check variety — roughly double
- Suitable soil
- Sandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5–8.0; bred for medium-irrigated conditions
- Release
- Released 2011 · CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow (developed from Nagori Ashwagandha stock)
About this variety
CIMAP-Chetak was released in 2011 by CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, developed through half-sib family selection carried out on Nagori Ashwagandha stock — the same well-known Rajasthan landrace traded as "Nagori" — making it, in effect, a scientifically improved selection out of that traditional line. In its registration trial it produced a dry root yield of 11.77 quintals/ha against 5.45 quintals/ha for the check variety, with fresh and dry leaf yields of 1.722 and 0.453 quintals/ha (against 0.872 and 0.147 quintals/ha for the check), a total withanolide content of 0.40%, and a withaferin content of 1.22%. The plant itself is described as semi-vigorous with medium-small green leaves and a whitish-green stem, and the variety is specifically recommended for medium-irrigated growing conditions rather than the fully rainfed regime most Ashwagandha is grown under.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeDirect sowing: second week of July, once pre-monsoon showers have given a fine tilth.
- Seed rate5–12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2–5 kg/acre) — the species-standard rate
- Spacing60×60 cm for a transplanted crop; a direct-sown stand is thinned at 25–30 days to about 20,000–25,000 plants/ha
- Sowing methodBroadcast directly into the field, or raise seedlings in a nursery bed and transplant into 60 cm furrows once 5–6 weeks old
- IrrigationBred specifically for medium-irrigated conditions rather than a fully rainfed regime — a life-saving irrigation on dry spells, with somewhat more assured watering than the species' rainfed norm
- FertilizerNone, by design — the crop runs on the residual fertility of a previous well-manured crop; on genuinely poor soil, a modest 20:20:0 kg N:P:K/ha is sometimes applied basal
- HarvestingHarvest January–March, roughly 180 days after sowing, once the leaves have dried and the berries have turned yellow-red.
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Sandy loam or light red soil
- Irrigation
- Must drain freely — standing water rots the root and collar
Climate
- Climate
- 20–35°C, 500–750 mm rainfall, with somewhat more assured moisture than a fully rainfed line since CIMAP-Chetak is bred for medium-irrigated conditions
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
~180 days to root maturity (species-level harvest window)
Expected yield
Dry root yield of 11.77 quintals/ha in the variety's own registration trial, against 5.45 quintals/ha for the check variety — roughly double
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Management notes
- Government cultivation notes name stem borer and mites as the main pests for Ashwagandha generally — a fenvalerate spray (Sumicidin) and a neem seed kernel extract are the standard responses.
- A single hand-weeding at 25–30 days after sowing/transplanting is usually enough.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Roughly double the dry root yield of the check variety it was registered against — 11.77 vs 5.45 quintals/ha.
- Bred from Nagori stock, so it carries the trade-recognised Nagori root character with a documented, CIMAP-verified yield and withanolide figure behind it, unlike unimproved farm-saved Nagori seed.
Things to consider
- Bred and evaluated for medium-irrigated conditions rather than the fully rainfed regime most Ashwagandha is grown under — check seed availability and local suitability with your KVK before switching from a rainfed-adapted local line.
- Like all Ashwagandha, the crop is sold on quality and grade directly to drug-market buyers, with no MSP and no mandi-style open market.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Rajasthan
- Madhya Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh
Frequently asked questions
What is CIMAP-Chetak?
A high-yielding Ashwagandha variety released in 2011 by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, bred by half-sib selection out of Nagori Ashwagandha stock for medium-irrigated growing conditions.
How much does CIMAP-Chetak yield?
In its registration trial it produced 11.77 quintals/ha of dry root against 5.45 quintals/ha for the check variety — roughly double — along with a total withanolide content of 0.40%.
How is CIMAP-Chetak related to Nagori Ashwagandha?
It was bred by half-sib family selection directly out of Nagori Ashwagandha stock — the well-known Rajasthan landrace — so it can be thought of as a scientifically improved, CIMAP-verified selection from that same traditional line.
Does CIMAP-Chetak need more water than other Ashwagandha varieties?
It was bred and evaluated for medium-irrigated conditions rather than the fully rainfed regime most Ashwagandha is grown under, so it likely does better with somewhat more assured moisture than a strictly rainfed line — though it does not need irrigation on the scale of a water-demanding crop.
Sourced from: CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow. editorial policy.