Cultivation of medicinal plants is a vital subject for B.Pharm students, linking agronomy with pharmacognosy and quality control. This concise guide emphasizes propagation, soil and nutrient management, pest and disease control, post-harvest processing, and strategies to maximize secondary metabolites. Key topics include GACP, propagation methods (seed, cuttings, tissue culture), organic amendments, irrigation, harvesting stage, drying, storage, and analytical quality checks to prevent adulteration and contamination. Understanding these aspects ensures consistent active constituent yield and safe raw materials for formulation. Practical knowledge of cultivation supports sustainable sourcing, traceability, and regulatory compliance. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What does GACP stand for in medicinal plant cultivation?
- Good Agricultural and Collection Practices
- General Approved Cultivation Procedures
- Guidelines for Agrochemical and Crop Protection
- Groundwater and Crop Preservation
Correct Answer: Good Agricultural and Collection Practices
Q2. Which of the following is a common vegetative propagation method used to produce genetically identical medicinal plants?
- Seed sowing
- Cuttings
- Cross-pollination
- Hybrid seed production
Correct Answer: Cuttings
Q3. Hard-seeded medicinal species often require which pretreatment to break physical dormancy and improve germination?
- Mechanical scarification
- Cold stratification
- Surface sterilization with sodium hypochlorite
- Exposure to ethylene gas
Correct Answer: Mechanical scarification
Q4. What soil pH range is generally optimal for the majority of medicinal herbs to maximize nutrient availability?
- 4.0–5.0
- 5.0–6.0
- 6.0–7.5
- 8.0–9.0
Correct Answer: 6.0–7.5
Q5. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are applied in medicinal plant cultivation primarily to:
- Increase foliar pesticide absorption
- Enhance phosphorus and water uptake
- Accelerate flowering time by releasing gibberellins
- Act as a nitrogen fertilizer
Correct Answer: Enhance phosphorus and water uptake
Q6. Which microorganism is commonly used as a free-living nitrogen-fixing biofertilizer suitable for many medicinal crops?
- Trichoderma harzianum
- Azotobacter
- Pseudomonas fluorescens
- Bacillus subtilis
Correct Answer: Azotobacter
Q7. To best preserve heat-sensitive secondary metabolites and volatile oils during post-harvest, which drying method is preferred?
- Hot air oven drying at 80°C
- Direct sun drying
- Shade drying with good airflow and controlled humidity
- Microwave-assisted drying at high power
Correct Answer: Shade drying with good airflow and controlled humidity
Q8. For many alkaloid-rich medicinal plants, which phenological stage commonly yields maximum concentration of bioactive secondary metabolites?
- Seedling stage
- Vegetative growth stage
- Flowering stage
- Senescence stage
Correct Answer: Flowering stage
Q9. Which analytical parameter primarily indicates the level of inorganic contamination (like soil or sand) in an herbal raw material?
- Moisture content
- Total ash value
- pH
- Extractive value
Correct Answer: Total ash value
Q10. Which extraction technique is most commonly used commercially for obtaining essential oils from aromatic medicinal plants?
- Cold maceration
- Steam distillation
- Supercritical CO2 extraction only
- Soxhlet extraction with hexane
Correct Answer: Steam distillation
Q11. Increasing plant density (closer spacing) in medicinal herb beds most often leads to:
- Increased individual plant biomass per plant
- Better root development for every plant
- Reduced air circulation and higher disease incidence
- Higher light interception for each leaf
Correct Answer: Reduced air circulation and higher disease incidence
Q12. Which propagation method ensures large-scale production of genetically uniform disease-free planting material for medicinal plants?
- Seed lots from open pollination
- Tissue culture micropropagation
- Stratified seed propagation
- Layering in the field
Correct Answer: Tissue culture micropropagation
Q13. Which rooting hormone (auxin) is widely used to promote root initiation in cuttings of medicinal plants?
- Gibberellic acid (GA3)
- Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)
- Cytokinin (BAP)
- Ethrel (ethephon)
Correct Answer: Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)
Q14. A proven advantage of intercropping medicinal plants with legumes is:
- Increased monoculture uniformity
- Improved biodiversity and reduced pest incidence
- Guaranteed elimination of all soil pathogens
- Faster plant maturity regardless of species
Correct Answer: Improved biodiversity and reduced pest incidence
Q15. Which of the following is NOT a post-harvest processing step for medicinal plant raw material?
- Drying
- Grinding
- Formulation into dosage forms
- Irrigation
Correct Answer: Irrigation
Q16. Which heavy metal is most commonly tested for contamination in herbal raw materials due to its toxic effects?
- Calcium (Ca)
- Lead (Pb)
- Potassium (K)
- Magnesium (Mg)
Correct Answer: Lead (Pb)
Q17. For long-term storage of dried herbal materials, the ideal moisture content is typically maintained around:
- 20–25%
- 15–18%
- 8–10%
- 30–35%
Correct Answer: 8–10%
Q18. Which of the following is an elicitor commonly used to induce increased secondary metabolite production in plant cell cultures?
- Methyl jasmonate
- Nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizer
- Sodium chloride
- Sulfuric acid
Correct Answer: Methyl jasmonate
Q19. A sustainable cultural practice for managing root-knot nematodes in medicinal crops is:
- Continuous mono-cropping of the same host
- Broadcasting high rates of synthetic insecticide
- Crop rotation with non-host crops
- Over-irrigation to drown nematodes
Correct Answer: Crop rotation with non-host crops
Q20. Which rapid biochemical test is commonly used to assess seed viability in seed lots for medicinal plants?
- Tetrazolium (TZ) test
- Soil pH test
- Moisture meter reading of the field
- Leaf chlorophyll meter measurement
Correct Answer: Tetrazolium (TZ) test
Q21. Which analytical technique is the most informative for profiling volatile constituents of an essential oil and detecting adulteration?
- Thin-layer chromatography (TLC)
- Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
- Refractive index measurement only
- Moisture content determination
Correct Answer: Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
Q22. Which drying practice minimizes loss of volatile oil content in aromatic herbs like Ocimum and Mentha?
- Hot air oven drying at 100°C
- Open sun drying on concrete
- Shade drying at ambient temperature with good airflow
- Boiling and drying immediately
Correct Answer: Shade drying at ambient temperature with good airflow
Q23. Planting leguminous cover crops in medicinal plant fields primarily provides which benefit?
- Immediate increase in essential oil content
- Reduction of soil organic matter
- Soil conservation and nitrogen enrichment through biological fixation
- Permanent removal of weeds without management
Correct Answer: Soil conservation and nitrogen enrichment through biological fixation
Q24. Among factors influencing secondary metabolite accumulation, which is most directly controlled by plant breeding and selection?
- Soil moisture
- Genotype (genetic makeup)
- Ambient temperature
- Pest pressure
Correct Answer: Genotype (genetic makeup)
Q25. Which modern molecular technique is most reliable for authenticating species identity and detecting adulteration in powdered herbal raw material?
- Organoleptic evaluation
- DNA barcoding
- pH determination
- Bulk density measurement
Correct Answer: DNA barcoding
Q26. Which medicinal crop is conventionally propagated by rhizome division rather than by true seed?
- Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi)
- Curcuma longa (Turmeric)
- Coriandrum sativum (Coriander)
- Cassia angustifolia (Senna) from seeds
Correct Answer: Curcuma longa (Turmeric)
Q27. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in medicinal plant cultivation emphasizes which of the following approaches?
- Exclusive use of broad-spectrum chemical pesticides
- Use of natural predators, biocontrol agents and pheromone traps
- Removal of beneficial insects
- Complete abandonment of monitoring and thresholds
Correct Answer: Use of natural predators, biocontrol agents and pheromone traps
Q28. To favor leaf biomass production in leafy medicinal herbs, which primary nutrient is most critical?
- Phosphorus (P)
- Potassium (K)
- Nitrogen (N)
- Calcium (Ca)
Correct Answer: Nitrogen (N)
Q29. A key documentation requirement under GACP for traceability of medicinal plant material is to maintain:
- Only verbal records of harvest
- Traceability records linking field, harvest date and processing steps
- Only photographs of the field without labels
- No records to protect farmer privacy
Correct Answer: Traceability records linking field, harvest date and processing steps
Q30. Which cultural practice commonly enhances essential oil content and overall quality in aromatic medicinal herbs like Ocimum and Mentha?
- Neglecting pruning for extended periods
- Regular harvesting and pruning at the appropriate phenological stage
- Applying excessive phosphorus just before harvest
- Continuous shade without light management
Correct Answer: Regular harvesting and pruning at the appropriate phenological stage
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com