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AshwagandhaKharifOpen-pollinatedUpdated 26 August 2026

Poshita

A high-yielding Ashwagandha line developed and marketed by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow тАФ contact the institute directly for seed and planting-material availability.

SeasonKharif
Maturity period~180 days to root maturity (species-level harvest window; a perennial-type line that can also be held over more than one season)
Expected yieldDry root yield of about 14 quintals/ha with a total withanolide content of about 0.25%, evaluated alongside CIMAP-Pratap and other CIMAP lines in multi-year cultivar trials
Suitable soilSandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5тАУ8.0

Quick facts

Crop
Ashwagandha
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
~180 days to root maturity (species-level harvest window; a perennial-type line that can also be held over more than one season)
Seed rate
5тАУ12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2тАУ5 kg/acre); a nursery raised for transplanting needs only about 5 kg/ha of seed тАФ the species-standard rate, not adjusted specifically for Poshita
Expected yield
Dry root yield of about 14 quintals/ha with a total withanolide content of about 0.25%, evaluated alongside CIMAP-Pratap and other CIMAP lines in multi-year cultivar trials
Suitable soil
Sandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5тАУ8.0
Release
Developed by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) тАФ a perennial-type line; specific release year not independently confirmed for this record

About this variety

Poshita is an Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) line developed and marketed by CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, and classed by the institute's own breeding programme as a perennial-type line тАФ unlike the annual-type JA-20, JA-134 and CIMAP-Chetak. In multi-year cultivar evaluation trials run alongside CIMAP-Pratap and other CIMAP lines, Poshita produced a dry root yield of about 14 quintals/ha with a total withanolide content of about 0.25%. The specific release year was not confirmed against a primary CIMAP source for this record, so it is reported as CIMAP-developed without a stated year rather than guessed at.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity~180 days to root maturity (species-level harvest window; a perennial-type line that can also be held over more than one season)
    Yield potentialDry root yield of about 14 quintals/ha with a total withanolide content of about 0.25%, evaluated alongside CIMAP-Pratap and other CIMAP lines in multi-year cultivar trials
    Disease resistanceNot stated in the multi-year cultivar trial data тАФ that trial evaluated and documents yield and withanolide content, not disease reaction; Poshita is a perennial-type line, unlike the annual-type JA-20/JA-134/CIMAP-Chetak
    SoilSandy loam or light red soil, pH 7.5тАУ8.0
    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 5тАУ6 weeks later.
  • Seed rate5тАУ12 kg/ha for direct broadcast sowing (2тАУ5 kg/acre); a nursery raised for transplanting needs only about 5 kg/ha of seed тАФ the species-standard rate, not adjusted specifically for Poshita
  • Spacing60├Ч60 cm for a transplanted crop; a direct-sown stand is thinned at 25тАУ30 days to about 20,000тАУ25,000 plants/ha
  • Sowing methodBroadcast directly into the field, or raise seedlings in a nursery bed and transplant into 60 cm furrows once 5тАУ6 weeks old
  • IrrigationLittle to none if the monsoon is on schedule; a life-saving irrigation only on a genuine dry spell
  • FertilizerNone, by design тАФ 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 JanuaryтАУMarch, roughly 150тАУ180 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 тАФ standing water rots the root and collar

Climate

Climate
20тАУ35┬░C, 500тАУ750 mm rainfall тАФ sown to catch the tail of the monsoon and finished dry

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

~180 days to root maturity (species-level harvest window; a perennial-type line that can also be held over more than one season)

Expected yield

Dry root yield of about 14 quintals/ha with a total withanolide content of about 0.25%, evaluated alongside CIMAP-Pratap and other CIMAP lines in multi-year cultivar trials

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 тАФ a fenvalerate spray (Sumicidin) and a neem seed kernel extract are the standard responses.
  • A single hand-weeding at 25тАУ30 days after sowing/transplanting is usually enough.

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Developed and marketed by CSIR-CIMAP, a national medicinal-plants research institute, rather than a farm-saved line of unknown origin.
  • A documented dry root yield (~14 quintals/ha) from multi-year cultivar trials, roughly 3├Ч the species-level ICAR average of 4тАУ5 quintals/ha.
  • Its perennial-type habit gives growers the option to hold the crop over more than one season instead of replanting annually.

Things to consider

  • The 14 quintals/ha figure comes from a multi-year cultivar trial rather than the variety's own official CIMAP release bulletin, and a specific release year was not independently confirmed for this record тАФ treat it as strong trial evidence, and confirm current recommendations with CIMAP or your local KVK before planting at scale.
  • 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

Developed by CSIR-CIMAP, headquartered at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh тАФ this does not mean the variety is restricted to UP; check local availability before planting.

  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Madhya Pradesh

Frequently asked questions

What is Poshita?

A high-yielding, perennial-type Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) line developed by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, producing about 14 quintals/ha of dry root with a total withanolide content of about 0.25% in multi-year cultivar trials.

Where do I get Poshita seed?

Contact CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, directly for seed and planting-material availability тАФ the institute is the source named for this and its other Ashwagandha releases.

How does Poshita compare to JA-20 or JA-134?

JA-20/JA-134 are annual-type JNKVV, Mandsaur releases with an official ICAR-DMAPR record but no stated variety-specific yield figure, while Poshita is a perennial-type CIMAP, Lucknow line with a documented trial yield of about 14 quintals/ha тАФ meaningfully above the species-level average. Confirm current recommendations with your local KVK before choosing between them.

Sourced from: CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow. editorial policy.