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AshwagandhaKharifFarmer landrace, not a formally released varietyUpdated 26 August 2026

Nagori

A local Ashwagandha strain traded under the well-known name "Nagori", after Rajasthan's Nagaur district — prized for its starchy root, but not a formally released ICAR or state-university variety.

SeasonKharif
Maturity periodNot separately documented — treat as the species-level 150–180 days
Expected yieldNo separately documented yield figure; traded on its starchy-root quality rather than a stated yield advantage
Suitable soilSandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5–8.0

Quick facts

Crop
Ashwagandha
Type
Farmer landrace, not a formally released variety
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
Not separately documented — treat as the species-level 150–180 days
Seed rate
5–12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2–5 kg/acre) — the species-standard rate; Nagori seed is typically farm-saved from the previous season's crop rather than bought fresh each year
Expected yield
No separately documented yield figure; traded on its starchy-root quality rather than a stated yield advantage
Suitable soil
Sandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5–8.0
Release
Farmer landrace, Nagaur district (Rajasthan) — not an ICAR/state-university release

About this variety

Nagori is the well-known trade name for a local Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) strain associated with Rajasthan's Nagaur district, documented in government cultivation literature as "a local variety with feature of having starchy roots." Unlike JA-20, JA-134, Poshita, Rakshita or WSR, Nagori is not an ICAR- or state-university-released variety with a formal breeding record — it is farmer-saved and locally-traded seed that has earned a reputation in the drug-market trade for its particular root quality. Much of the Ashwagandha actually grown and traded in India, especially around Nagaur, is of this kind rather than a formally released line, which is worth knowing when a buyer or a seed source uses the name "Nagori" without further paperwork.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeFarmer landrace, not a formally released variety
    MaturityNot separately documented — treat as the species-level 150–180 days
    Yield potentialNo separately documented yield figure; traded on its starchy-root quality rather than a stated yield advantage
    Disease resistanceNo rating exists — Nagori is farmer-saved landrace seed that has never been through a formal variety trial
    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.
  • Seed rate5–12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2–5 kg/acre) — the species-standard rate; Nagori seed is typically farm-saved from the previous season's crop rather than bought fresh each year
  • SpacingA direct-sown stand is thinned at 25–30 days to about 20,000–25,000 plants/ha
  • Sowing methodBroadcast directly into the field — Nagori is grown almost entirely by direct sowing on Rajasthan's light, low-rainfall soils rather than transplanted
  • IrrigationLittle to none if the monsoon is on schedule; a life-saving irrigation only on a genuine dry spell — grown in one of the driest parts of Ashwagandha's range
  • FertilizerNone, by design — grown on residual fertility, consistent with Rajasthan's traditionally low-input Ashwagandha practice
  • HarvestingHarvest January–March, once the leaves have dried and the berries have turned yellow-red — the starchy root Nagori is known for is graded on thickness and cleanliness like any other Ashwagandha.

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Sandy loam or light red soil, typical of Rajasthan's Nagaur belt
Irrigation
Must drain freely — standing water rots the root and collar

Climate

Climate
20–35°C, 500–750 mm rainfall — Rajasthan's semi-arid Nagaur belt is close to the low end of this range

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

Not separately documented — treat as the species-level 150–180 days

Expected yield

No separately documented yield figure; traded on its starchy-root quality rather than a stated yield advantage

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 for Ashwagandha generally.
  • A single hand-weeding at 25–30 days after sowing is usually enough.

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • A well-known, long-traded name in the Ashwagandha market, specifically valued for its starchy root quality.
  • Well-adapted by long local use to Rajasthan's dry, low-rainfall growing conditions.

Things to consider

  • This is farmer-saved seed passed down locally, not an ICAR- or state-university-released variety with a formal breeding record or documented yield/disease-resistance data — buy from a known, reputable local grower rather than assuming any seed sold as "Nagori" is genetically uniform.
  • 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

Named for and traded out of the Nagaur district of Rajasthan — this is a locally-traded name, not an official state-wide recommendation.

  • Rajasthan

Frequently asked questions

What is Nagori Ashwagandha?

A local Ashwagandha strain traded under the name of Rajasthan's Nagaur district, prized for its starchy root — a farmer landrace, not a formally released ICAR or state-university variety.

Is Nagori an officially released variety?

No — it is farmer-saved, locally-traded seed with no ICAR or state-university breeding record. JA-20 and JA-134 are the only two Ashwagandha varieties on ICAR-DMAPR's own released-varieties list.

Why is Nagori root valued?

Government cultivation literature documents it specifically as a starchy-rooted local variety — a trait the trade values, though no formal yield or withanolide-content figure is documented for it the way it is for JA-20/JA-134.

Sourced from: Odisha SMPB — Standard Cultivation Procedure for Ashwagandha. editorial policy.