Opium Poppy

Opium Poppy

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Opium Poppy

Botanical Name : Papaver somniferum
Common Name : Opium Poppy
Family : Papavaraceae
Order : Ranunculales
Species : P. somniferum
Uses :
• Its seeds oil is used as a major source of cooking oil.
• The seed is also an important culinary item in India.
• It is extensively used in the preparation of native Confectionery, pastries and bread.
• It is used in drugs.
Chemical-Ingredients :
Opium poppy is the source of a number of very valuable alkaloids like morphine, codeine,
narcotine, papaverine and thebain. Other minor alkaloids include aporeine, codamine, cryptopine
and papaveramine. The seeds are also reported to contain a high percentage of linoleic acid.
Yield-Per-Ha : 400-500 kg/ha of seeds
Origin & Distribution :
It is supposed to have originated in the western Mediterranean region and from there it has
spread through the Balkan peninsula to Asia Minor and India. Since antiquity its cultivation has
been in vogue in Italy, Greece and Asia Minor. It was during the 15th century that the herb was
introduced in India. First, it was cultivated along the sea coast and later penetrated into the
interior of the peninsula.
Description : It is commonly called opium poppy. It is an important medicinal plant. The
commercial product ‘Opium’ is an addictive narcotic obtained from the seed capsules of the
opium poppy. Opium is a very valuable but dangerous drug. It should be used in very limited
quantities and under the strict supervision of a physician. In India, this plant is mainly cultivated
for its latex (opium) and the seeds come as a by – product. These seeds are quite a rich source of
fatty oil and protein. Its cultivation has to be done under the strict control of the Central Excise
Department and it cannot be cultivated everywhere. It can be grown only in those areas specified
by the Government of India.
Morphology
The poppy is a small, erect scarcely branched (towards the top) herb.The main shoot and
branches terminate into large, oblong to globose capsules, filled with small white, flat seeds.
Leaf : The leaves are light grey-green and hairless.
Flower : The flowers can have many colors: attractive brightly ranging from white, to purple,
pink, red and variegated. Flowers come after about 90 to 100 days of sowing.
Seeds :The seeds are small, kidney – shaped, whitish – yellow, grey – brown, reddish – brown or
black.
Height-of-Maturity: It grows up to a height of 60-120 cm.

Varieties/Hybrids of Opium Poppy
(1) Variety
Name : Talia
Features : It is sown early and it remains in the field for 140 days.Its flowers are pink and have
large petals. The capsule is oblong ovate light – green and shiny (waxy)

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(2) Variety
Name : Ranghatak
Features : It is a medium – tall variety, maturing for lancing in 125 -130 days after sowing. It
bears white and light – pink flowers, It produces medium – sized capsules (7.6 cm x 5.0 cm),
which are slightly flat tened on the top. It yields opium of a comparatively thin consistency that
change to a dark colour on exposure.
(3) Variety
Name : Dhola Chota Gotia
Features : It is a dwarf cultivar (85-90cm), bearing pure white flowers and light green capsules
which are oblong – ovate in shape. It is ready for lanching after 105-115 days of sowing and
matures for seed in 140 days.
(4) Variety
Name : MOP – 3
Features : This variety has been developed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya,
Mandsaur recently. It bears pinkish – white. Its capsules are ready for lancing 120 days after
sowing and the variety is recommended where adequate irrigation facilities exist in the later part
of the season.
(5) Variety
Name : MOP - 16
Features :This is another promising selection made at the Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa
Vidyalaya, Mandsaur. The plant bears white flowers with serrated petals and round, flat – topped
capsules. This is comparatively drought tolerant and is ready for lancing 105-110 days after
sowing. It is recommended where an early maturing crop is preferred.
(6) Variety
Name : Shama
Features :This variety was released by the CIMAP, Lucknow during the year 1983. The main
alkaloids like Morphine (14.51 – 16.75 %), Codeine Thebaine (1.84-2.16%), Papaverine and
Narcotine in this variety are reported to be on higher side than the existing commercially
cultivated variety. It yields 39.5 kg of latex and 8.8 kg / ha of seeds.
(7) Variety
Name : Shweta
Features : This variety was also released by the CIMAP, Lucknow along with Shama. However,
it is reported to be superior to Shama. It gives an average yield of (42.5) kg of latex and 7.8
kg/ha of seeds.
(8) Variety
Name : NBRI - 3
Features : It is a synthetic variety developed at the National Botanical Research Institute,
Lucknow,.This variety is highly adaptable to varied agroclimatic conditions and gives a higher
yield. It is moderately resistant to diseases. It yields about 54 kg/ha of opium and 10-13 q/ha of
seeds.
(9) Variety
Name : Kirtiman (NOP- 4)
Features : It was developed at the Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology,
Kumarganj, Faizabad.The variety is moderately resistant to downy mildew. It yields 35-45 kg/ha
of latex and 9-10 q/ha of seeds.The morphine content is up to 12%.
(10) Variety

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Name : Chetak (U.O. 285)
Features :This variety was developed at the Rajasthan Agriculture University Udaipur. It is
moderately resistant to disease. The opium yield is up to 54 kg/ ha and seed – yield is 10-12 q/ha.
It contains upto 12% morphine.
(11) Variety
Name : Trishna (IC-42)
Features : This variety was developed at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Delhi,
through selection and selfing. The variety is resistant to frost, root-rot and tolerant to downy
mildew disease.
It yields 49 to 53 Kg/ha of latex and 12 to 14.785 morphine.
(12) Variety
Name : Jawahar Aphim 16 (JA-16)
Features : It developed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya College of
Agriculture, Mandsaur Madhya Pradesh. It is moderatery resistant to downy mildew. It gives 45-
54 kg / ha of latex, 8-10 q/ha of seeds and contains up to 12% morphine.
Sowing-Time
Climate :
The crop needs long cold season with adequate sunshine in the early season for healthy
vegetative growth. Heavy rains after sowing cause loss in seed germination. Warm, dry weather
with a temperature of 30-35 0C is required during the reproductive period.
Soil :
The opium crop needs clay loam highly fertile and well- drained soils with a pH range of 6.0 to
7.5.Such soils, containing adequate organic matter, retain moisture and there is no need of
irrigation during lancing. However with adequate manuring and use of fertilizers even light,
loam to sandy- loam lateritic soils can give high yields under good management. Heavy clay or
fine sandy soils generally pose a problem, since they remain wet during the rains and are too
difficult to cultivate in the dry period.
Season- of- Month :
The seeds are sown between late October and mid- November.
Sowing-Method
Land Preparation :
Poppy seeds should be sown in very well prepared soil. The field should be given 5-6 cross-
ploughing, followed by planking. The land should be divided into small plots to facilitate
irrigation. The seed rate is around 8 kg/ha when sown by broadcasting but when sown in lines at
30 cm apart, about 5-6 kg/ha of seeds are sufficient.After sowing the seeds are covered by a thin
layer of soil followed by a light irrigation.
Insects Management
(1) Insect : Agrotis suffusa (Cutworms)
Damage : These worms do great harm to plants. They remain burrowed in the soil during day
and during the nights they cut and eat the leaves.
Controls :
This insect can be controlled by flooding the field with water and dusting the crop with 2%
Carbaryl.
(2) Insect : Stenocarus fuliginosus (Weevils)
Damage : It attacks young seedlings and feeds on young leaves. As the plant matures, the insect

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eats its way up the stem and ultimately bores its way in to poppy head and proceeds to destroy
the capsule.
Disease Management

(1)Disease : Peranospora arborescens (Downy mildew)
Identification-Symptoms :
The disease may appear any time from the seedling to maturity stage. In primary infections the
plants develop chlorosis curling, abnormal plant form with stunted growth. If the plants are
attacked in the later stage the capsules are affected.
Controls :
This disease can be controlled by the application of Dithane Z-78 (0.4%).
(2)Disease : Erysiphe polygoni (Powdery mildew)
Identification-Symptoms :
It appears after 90-100 days of sowing as a white mycelial growth on the stem and lower side of
the leaves. It grows into large patches of white powdery mass which turn black.
Controls :
The diseased plants in the early stage should be uprooted and burnt. At the later stage the crop
should be sprayed with sulfer or Microsulf 1 l in 100 l of water.

Production Technology
Manures :
Usually farmers maintain a rich top layer of humus by adding large amount of FYM to the
opium field. It is found that the application of 10-20 t of FYM is enough to maintain the soil in
good physical condition and to support good initial growth.In addition, the field is applied with
30-50 kg P2O5 and, wherever potash is deficient, K2O should be applied at the rate of 25-30
kg/ha. Both these fertilizers are placed 5-6 cm deep in the rows before sowing. For correcting
Zinc deficiency, 12-30 kg/ha of Zinc sulphate should be added.
Irrigation Management :
The first irrigation is given immediately after sowing, if there is not enough moisture available
in the soil. For subsequent irrigations, 7-10 days irrigation schedule is the optimum depending
upon the weather and soil conditions. A total of 10 to 15 irrigations are required for this crop.
Weed Control Management :
All cultivation operations are done by hand. After 3-4 weeks of sowing, the first weeding is
done. The intervals of the other weeding have to be adjusted locally. In all about 4-5 weeding
may be required during the whole cropping season.
Harvesting Time :
Usually after 3 days of flowering, the petals fall and after another 10-14 days the capsules are
ready for lanching. The capsules are plucked by hand and the seeds are separated after breaking
the capsules.
Lancing process:UM HARVESTING METHODS
The scoring of the pods (also called "lancing," "incising,"or "tapping") begins about two weeks
after the flower petals fall from the pods. The farmer examines the pod and the tiny crown
portion on the top of the pod very carefully before scoring. The grayish-green pod will become a
dark green color as it matures and it will swell in size. If the points of the pod's crown are
standing straight out or are cuved upward, the pod is ready to be scored. If the crown's points
turn downward, the pod is not yet fully matured. Not all the plants in a field will be ready for

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scoring at the same time and each pod can be tapped more than once. A set of three or four small
blades of iron, glass, or glass splinters bound tightly together on a wooden handle is used to
score two or three sides of the pod in a vertical direction. If the blades cut too deep into the wall
of the pod, the opium will flow too quickly and will drip to the ground. If the incisions are too
shallow, the flow will be too slow and the opium will harden in the pods. A depth of about one
millimeter is desired for the incision. Using a blade-tool designed to cut to that depth, scoring
ideally starts in late afternoon so the white latex-like raw opium can ooze out and slowly
coagulate on the surface of the pod overnight If the scoring begins too early in the afternoon, the
sun will cause tlle opium to coagulate over the incision and block the flow. The opium darkens
and thickens in the cool night air. Early the next morning, the opium gum is scraped from the
surface of the pods with a short-handled flat, iron blade three to four inches wide. Opium
harvesters work their way backwards across the field scoring lower, mature pods before the taller
pods, soasnotto inadvertently spill thesticky ooze. The pods will continue to secrete opium for
several days.

The opium yield from a single pod varies greatly,ranging from 10 to 100 milligrams of opium
per pod. The average yield is about 80 milligrams. The dried opium weight yield per hectare of
opium poppies ranges between eight and fifteen kilograms of opium. The wet opium gum
collected from the pods contains a relatively high amount of water and needs to be dried for
several days. High-quality raw opium will be brown (rather than black) in color and will retain
its sticky texture. opium has been properly dried, it can be stored indefinitely. Excessive
moisture and heat can cause
the opium to deteriorate but, once dried, opium is relatively stable. In fact, as opium dries and
becomes less pliable, its value increases due to the decrease in water weight per kilogram.

Post-Harvesting
Drying :
• The capsules, after the lancing operation and collection of opium latex, are allowed to dry on
the plant itself.
• The drying process takes about 15 days after the lancing is completed.