Effect of harvesting cycles in biomass production of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.).

Moringa oleifera Lam. Syn. M. pteryogsperma Gertin., belonging to a monogeneric family Moringaceae, is an important medicinal tree, commonly known as Shigru or Sahajan. All parts of the plant such as root, bark, leaf, gum and fruit have medicinal value and are used as drug for the treatment of several diseases and ailments. It is a under exploited perennial vegetable species of the Moringaceae family, native to the sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It has now become naturalized in many locations in the tropics. It is a perennial softwood tree with low timber quality but for centuries it has been advocated for traditional medicinal and industrial uses. The many uses of Moringa include: alley cropping (biomass production), bioenergy production, animal forage (leaves and treated seedcake), biogas (from leaves), domestic cleaning agent (crushed leaves), blue dye (wood). This tree has, in recent times, been advocated as an outstanding indigenous source of highly digestible protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C and carotenoids suitable for utilization in many of the “developing” regions of the world where, undernourishment is a major concern. Moringa trees have been used against malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Six tablespoons of leaf powder is reported to provide nearly all of the woman’s daily iron and calcium needs during pregnancy and breastfeeding (Martin, 1985). Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce. Presently, in India drumstick is being cultivated in an area of 38,000 ha with annual vegetable pod production of 1.10-1.30 million tonnes. Andhra Pradesh (15,665 ha) leads in area and production followed by Karnataka (10, 258 ha) and Tamil Nadu (7,408 ha) (Singh, 2011).