The botanical name of Senna plant is Cassia angustifolia Vahl.; it belongs to the Leguminosae, it's a medicinal plant
Varieties : KKM Se 1, ALF-T2.
Soil and climate: In Tamil Nadu, it is grown in sandy or sandy loam or laterite soils. It is a hardy warm weather crop grown under rainfed and irrigated conditions.
Seed rate: 15 - 20 kg/ha.
The seeds are scarified with sand or can be soaked overnight in water and sown in beds at a spacing 45 x 30 cm during February – March or June – July.
Season: February - March and June - July.
Manuring
Basal: Apply FYM 10 - 15 t/ha and N, P and K at 25, 25 and 40 kg/ha.
Top dressing: Apply 25 kg N two splits at 40 and 80 days after sowing.
Aftercultivation: One or two weedings.
Plant protection From Pests
Aphids: Spray dimethoate 30 EC or methyl demeton 25 EC at 1 ml/lit of water.
Harvest: The first harvest of leaves and pods are done 2 months after sowing and subsequent harvests at 30 days interval. Leaves and pods are dried for 7 - 10 days.
Yield - Irrigated
Dried leaves : 2 t/ha.
Dried pod : 150 - 200 kg/ha.
Rainfed
Dried leaves : 1 t/ha.
Dried pods : 75 - 100 kg/ha.
Seed Production Technology:
Seeds attain physiological maturity at 40 days after anthesis associated with colour change of pods from green to brown. Seeds can be processed by using 8/64" round perforated metal sieves. Hard seededness can be effectively overcome by acid scarification with commercial sulphuric acid @ 100 ml/kg seed for 10 minutes.
In Nigeria, senna plant in Hausa is called Tafasa
