It is a one-and-a-half to 2 year crop and can be grown from seeds, root, root-shoot and shoot-cuttings. The seed-crop, however, gives larger ( root) yields. The seed rate is 8 to 10 kg per hectare, the average germination being only about 15%. Heavy seeds are selected by floating them in water. They are placed under a moist piece of cloth for 24 hours to soften their hard covering they are sown in well prepared seedbeds in lines,20cm apart,during April May. The germination is erratic and takes 3 to 8 weeks; the seedlings grow 5 to 8 cm. tall in the next 2 months and are transplanted in well-prepared field at spacing of 45 * 35 cm,45 * 45 cm, 45*45cm, 45*60 cm or 60*60 cm, depending upon the fertility of the soil and on the intercrops proposed tobe grown. The seedlings generally do well and gaps, if any,are filled by fresh planting. The land is preferably manured with 45 tonnes of farmyard manure per hectare. The crop is given 90 kg of N;45 kg of p2o5 and 45 kg of k2o per hectare in all; half of n and the entire quantity of superphosphate and potash is given as basal dose and the remaining N is preferably applied in two split doses,one 75 days after planting and the other during the succeeding spring.
The crop is given monthly irrigation from January to May and after a period of 40-45 days during autumn.Rauwolfia has a deep root-system and is a drought-enduring species; continuous drought, however, reduces its total yield. The crop requires 5 weedings and hoeings during its entire growing period. Whereas a heavy root crop is obtained when rauwolfia is raised as a pure crop, the growing of intercrops, such as maize, cowpea or brinjal, during kharit, and radish, wheat or a cole crop, during rabi,gives larger overall profit. The roots are dug-out from November ( in northern India ) to Janary February in ( southern India ). The root bark the thin fibrous roots contain a larger percentage of alkaloids and should not be damaged a loss during digging. The roots are dried in the sun, and 55-60 percent of their weight is lost. The average yield is 950 kg. per hectare.
Adults of Anomalapolita feed on the leaves of rauwolfia during the rainy season and are controlled by spraying 0.2 percent folidol. Sometimes, mosaic also affects the young growing leaves and inflorescenc. Nematode infestation is restricted to acidic soils. A wilt due to Fusarium sp. and leaf-blight due to Alternaria sp. and reported to cause minor damage. Sometimes a brown leaf spot is found on the lower surface of the leaves caused by Cercospora rauwolfiae. Die-back is caused by Colletotri-chumdematium, particularly under humid growing conditions. The affected branched may be pruned and the plants are sprayed with 0.2 percent Diathane Z-78 which controls the spread of the disease.