Poshita
A high-yielding Ashwagandha line developed and marketed by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow — contact the institute directly for seed and planting-material availability.
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
- 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 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 7.5–8.0
- Release
- Developed by CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) — 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 — 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
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 Poshita
- 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
- IrrigationLittle to none if the monsoon is on schedule; a life-saving irrigation only on a genuine dry spell
- 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 150–180 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 — 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
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
- 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× the species-level ICAR average of 4–5 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — meaningfully above the species-level average. Confirm current recommendations with your local KVK before choosing between them.
Sourced from: CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow. editorial policy.