AONLA (EMBLICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN.) - A UNIQUE FRUIT TREE WITH RICH NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Aonla is a hardy, prolific fruit crop, and a suitable choice for dry and arid regions. The fruit is a rich source of vitamin C, which accounts for its wide use in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Indian modality. The fruit is also rich in the minerals calcium, phosphorus and iron. More than fifty processed products are prepared from aonla fruits to exploit nutritional and medicinal qualities. Superior genotypes like Krishna, Kanchan, NA 7, NA 9 and NA 10 were identified and have become a base of commercial cultivation in India.