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AshwagandhaKharifOpen-pollinatedUpdated 26 August 2026

Jawahar Asgand-20 (JA-20)

The older of the two Ashwagandha varieties on ICAR-DMAPR's official released-varieties list — released 1989 by JNKVV, Mandsaur. Short-statured and bred for high-density planting.

SeasonKharif
Maturity period~180 days to root maturity
Expected yieldTotal withanolide content of about 0.30% in dry root — the figure government cultivation notes cite for this line; no separate root-yield figure is documented for JA-20 alone beyond the species-level 400–500 kg/ha
Suitable soilSandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5–8.0

Quick facts

Crop
Ashwagandha
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
~180 days to root maturity
Seed rate
5–12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2–5 kg/acre); a nursery raised for transplanting needs only about 5 kg/ha of seed — the species-standard rate, not adjusted specifically for JA-20
Expected yield
Total withanolide content of about 0.30% in dry root — the figure government cultivation notes cite for this line; no separate root-yield figure is documented for JA-20 alone beyond the species-level 400–500 kg/ha
Suitable soil
Sandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5–8.0
Release
Released 1989 · JNKVV, Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh)

About this variety

Jawahar Asgand-20 (JA-20) was released in 1989 by Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV) at Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, and is the older of the two Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) varieties carried on ICAR-DMAPR's own official released-varieties table — the other being JA-134, released by the same institute nine years later. Government cultivation notes describe JA-20 (alongside JA-134) as a high-alkaloid line, short in plant height and bred specifically for high-density planting, reaching root maturity in about 180 days with a total withanolide content of roughly 0.30% in dry root. Beyond that, the official release record does not document a variety-specific root-yield figure, so the agronomy below is the species-level Ashwagandha practice that government production notes set out, not a number calibrated to JA-20 alone.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity~180 days to root maturity
    Yield potentialTotal withanolide content of about 0.30% in dry root — the figure government cultivation notes cite for this line; no separate root-yield figure is documented for JA-20 alone beyond the species-level 400–500 kg/ha
    Disease resistanceNot stated in the official release record
    SoilSandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5–8.0
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeDirect sowing: second week of July, once pre-monsoon showers have given a fine tilth. Nursery sowing: just before monsoon onset, transplanted 5–6 weeks later.
  • Seed rate5–12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2–5 kg/acre); a nursery raised for transplanting needs only about 5 kg/ha of seed — the species-standard rate, not adjusted specifically for JA-20
  • 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 — high-density planting is specifically what JA-20 was bred for
  • Sowing methodBroadcast directly into the field, or raise seedlings in a nursery bed and transplant into 60 cm furrows once 5–6 weeks old
  • IrrigationLittle to none if the monsoon is on schedule; a life-saving irrigation only on a genuine dry spell — the crop wants a dry finish as the roots mature, and standing water at that stage is the biggest risk it carries
  • FertilizerNone, by design — the crop is meant to run 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, with a lower plant population to compensate
  • HarvestingRoots mature about 180 days after sowing. Harvest January–March once the leaves have dried and the berries have turned yellow-red — uproot the whole plant, cut the stem 1–2 cm above the crown, and cut the roots into 7–10 cm pieces for sun-drying.

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Sandy loam or light red soil — often deliberately the marginal, non-irrigated land on a holding rather than the best-watered field
Irrigation
Must drain freely — standing water rots the root and collar, the single biggest disease risk this crop carries

Climate

Climate
20–35°C, 500–750 mm rainfall — sown to catch the tail of the monsoon and finished dry, with just one or two late-winter showers near maturity helping root development

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

~180 days to root maturity

Expected yield

Total withanolide content of about 0.30% in dry root — the figure government cultivation notes cite for this line; no separate root-yield figure is documented for JA-20 alone beyond the species-level 400–500 kg/ha

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Government cultivation notes name stem borer and mites as the main pests — a fenvalerate spray (Sumicidin, ~10 ml/litre) for the borer and a neem seed kernel extract for mites are the standard responses.
  • A single hand-weeding at 25–30 days after sowing/transplanting is usually enough — the crop's own canopy suppresses further weed growth after that.

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • One of only two Ashwagandha varieties with an official ICAR-DMAPR release record, rather than an unnamed farm-saved line.
  • Bred specifically for high-density planting, useful where land is the limiting factor rather than labour.

Things to consider

  • The official release record does not state a variety-specific root-yield figure — treat it as a documented-origin, high-alkaloid choice, not a proven yield edge over JA-134 or farm-saved seed.
  • 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.

  • Madhya Pradesh

Frequently asked questions

What is JA-20?

An Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) variety released in 1989 by JNKVV, Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh — one of only two Ashwagandha varieties on ICAR-DMAPR's own official released-varieties list, bred short-statured for high-density planting.

How is JA-20 different from JA-134?

JA-20 was released in 1989, nine years before JA-134 (1998) — both from the same institute (JNKVV, Mandsaur) with a similar short-statured, high-density-planting, high-alkaloid profile. The official record does not document a yield difference between them.

When should I sow JA-20?

Direct sowing in the second week of July, once pre-monsoon showers have given the soil a fine tilth — or a nursery sown a little earlier for transplanting 5–6 weeks later.

Do I need to fertilise JA-20?

Not routinely — Ashwagandha is meant to run on the residual fertility of a previous well-manured crop. Only on genuinely poor soil is a modest 20:20:0 kg N:P:K/ha basal dose sometimes used.

Sourced from: ICAR-DMAPR — Crop Improvement (Released Varieties table), Odisha SMPB — Standard Cultivation Procedure for Ashwagandha, Vikaspedia — Ashwagandha Plant Profile & Production Technology. editorial policy.