Nutrient analysis of Kunapa jala and Pancha gavya and their evaluation on germination of Ashwagandha and Kalamegha seeds: A comparative study

BACKGROUND: Vrikshayurveda, an ancient science of plant life described by Surapala, deals with healthy growth and productivity of plants, which has clearly outlined a systematized agricultural practice that insisted the use of Kunapa jala (KJ) and Pancha gavya (PG). OBJECTIVE: An experiment was conducted to validate KJ and PG by nutrient analysis and their effect on the germination parameters of Ashwagandha and Kalamegha seeds in comparison with other treatment groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: KJ and PG were prepared according to the classical references. The nutrient contents and germination parameters of KJ and PG were compared with other groups namely control (Contr), farmyard manure (FYM), humic acid (HA) and NPK. RESULTS: The pH and EC were 5.793, 2.653 dS/m and 5.584, 2.216 dS/m for KJ and PG respectively. KJ possess highest nutrient contents followed by PG. The germination parameters revealed the better activity of NPK followed by KJ, PG, HA, FYM and Contr. CONCLUSION: KJ and PG were found to be good in nutrient contents and were found to be effective on studied germination parameters of Ashwagandha and Kalamegha seeds.