Influence of environmental conditions on yield and quality of different cultivars of Ashwagandha ( <i>Withania somnifera</i> L. Dunal)

A two-year field experiment (2021-2023) was conducted to assess the yield and quality of Ashwagandha (<i>Withania somnifera</i>) under various environmental conditions. The C1cultivar (NMITLI-118) exhibited the highest yields of dry leaves (0.63 t ha^-1) and roots (1.08 t ha^-1) in the summer season (S2). Cultivar NMITLI-118 (C1) performs better in the summer season (S2, February sown), with average temperatures between 30-35 °C, where reduced moisture availability and heat stress stimulate higher synthesis of secondary metabolites and their constituents such as withanolides (0.36%), starch (24.24%), and starch-fibre ratio (0.80). Additionally, higher net returns of 2044.58 USD ha^-1 were obtained with NMITLI-118 during the summer season (S2). Furthermore, this approach allows farmers to utilise the lean period between the Rabi and Kharif seasons effectively treating ashwagandha as a bonus crop. The study also indicates that winter crops might be better for withaferin production, despite lower yields of roots and leaves.