Influence of harvesting stages and drying methods on growth, yield and quality of black night shade (Solanum nigrum L.)

In commercial cultivation of medicinal plants, management of harvesting stages and post harvest handling play a very deciding role in the quality of the end product. Hence, a trial was conducted to study the influence of different harvesting stages and drying methods on growth, yield and alkaloid content of black night shade (Solanum nigrum L.) in both the main crop and the ratoon crop. The experiment was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gandhi Krishi Vigyana Kendra, Bengaluru, Karnataka. The experiment was laid out in Randomized complete block design for field experiment and factorial CRD for lab experiments. The treatments comprised of four harvesting stages (100% flowering stage, fruiting stage, mature green berry stage and berry ripening stage) and three drying methods (sun drying, shade drying and tray drying). The maximum plant height (129.1 cm), number of branches (145.9 plant−1), plant spread (12931 sq cm) and dry matter (214.1 g plant−1) were recorded in plants harvested at berry ripening stage. However, the highest number of leaves, maximum cumulative fresh (36.93 t ha−1) and dry herbage yield (7.62 t ha−1) were obtained from plants harvested at green berry stage which also resulted in maximum alkaloid content (1.02%). Drying of the harvested produce under shade was found to be beneficial in obtaining higher alkaloid content (1.07%) and alkaloid yield (85.63 kg ha−1) of the final produce. Hence, harvesting black night shade at mature green berry stage and drying the harvested produce under shade was found ideal to realize maximum fresh and dry herb yield as well as alkaloid content and yield per hectare.