Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research
The paper deals with the ethno-botanical studies and survey of rare and endangered medicinal plan... more The paper deals with the ethno-botanical studies and survey of rare and endangered medicinal plants of Chang-La and Taglang-La and surrounding villages (Meru, Lato, Gya, Sasoma and Rumtse). Although the region looks barren and lifeless, it actually represents a treasure house of diversity of plants with high medicinal, aromatic value and also fulfils other useful purposes (such as food, fodder, fuel and ritual requirements). Predominant species of these areas are:- Geranium wallichianum, Carum carvi, Aconogonom tortuosum, Cremanthodium elisii, Corydalis stricta, Oxytropis microphylla, Cicer microphyllum, Rosa webbiana, Caragana versicolor, Artemisia macrocephala, Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Hippophae rhamnoides, Astragalus tibetanus, Thalictrum foliolosum, Delphinium brunonianum. The medicinal plants surveyed during tour was widely used in Sowa- rigpa system of Indian medicine for curing various diseases and ailments as it has no side-effects compared to allopathic medicines. The p...
The family Orchidaceae, best represented by the species Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo, is kn... more The family Orchidaceae, best represented by the species Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo, is known worldwide for its manifold uses. It is widely used to cure various diseases like dysentery, diarrhoea, chronic fever, cough, stomachache, wounds, cuts, burns, fractures, general weakness, etc., and widely used in modern medicine. Therefore, an attempt has been made to assess the medicinal potential of the species both in traditional as well as in modern medicine system. These properties are supposed to be cured by different active compounds present in the plant. This paper provides the relevant information about medicinal properties of the high value medicinal orchid.
International journal of pharma and bio sciences, 2014
Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices... more Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices. Recent re-emergence of herbal medicine along with the ever- escalating threats to biodiversity and the intensifying biopiracy controversies have necessitated an urgent need of documentation of the traditional use (s) of bioresoures. Therefore, an attempt has been made to document the ethnopharmacological uses of plants utilized in the traditional medicine system/household remedies by the inhabitants of the cold desert. We recorded a total of 68 plant species belonging to 58 genera and 34 families which are used traditionally to cure various diseases/ailments. Thirty three plant species are non- native whereas thirty five species are native to Indian Himalayan region. Various part (s) of these species are used to cure cough/cold, bronchitis, fever, liver disorders, kidney stone, joints pain etc. The study would help in developing a comprehensive data base of ethnopharmocological uses of...
Efforts have been made to identify the suitable natural condition for long-medium term storage of... more Efforts have been made to identify the suitable natural condition for long-medium term storage of horticultural crops and rare threatened species of the region, seeds cost effectivity, by comparing different natural storage conditions including controlled chamber maintained temperature at-18 oC and the other at ambient natural conditions at different locations i.e., permafrost are Chang-La, situated at the height of 17, 600 ft. in trans-Himalayan region with subzero temperature for most part of the year, Leh location where temperature also remains at-subzero for half the year and Chandigarh having a tropical climate. The 16 important horticulture crops and four medicinal plants representing the dicotyledonous seeds were assessed for different storage conditions for their germination percentage and longevity. The germination of stored seeds was monitored after five years. The results showed that all the accessions were able to maintain their seed germination percentage very close to their original values in the two locations i.e., Chang-La and Leh. Suggesting that some horticulture crops and rare medicinally important species could be stored in-situ for long and medium-term conservation at natural low temperature at Leh and at extreme altitude 17, 600 ft above sea level permafrost facility at Chang-La.
Not much attention has been paid to a wide range of indigenous leafy vegetables that can grow in ... more Not much attention has been paid to a wide range of indigenous leafy vegetables that can grow in high altitude harsh climatic conditions with minimal care. Therefore, a study was carried out on yield potential and palatability of indigenous leafy vegetables (ILV) that grows in trans-Himalayan Ladakh. Seven ILV viz. Fagopyrum tataricum, Rumex patientia, Fagopyrum esculentum, Amaranthus cruentus, Malva vertisilester, Lepidium latifolium and Atriplex hortensis that are being used by native people of Ladakh were recorded for their morphological characters, earliness, yield and other consumer preference traits. The highest yield was recorded for A. hortensis (1.80±0.06 kg/m2). The study suggested that A. hortensis and A. crunteus have high palatability and are most preferred by the consumers. Yield potential of the cold hardy A. hortensis is significantly higher and it is an early maturing crop. Therefore, detail studies on A. hortensis are required, and efforts need to be made for large...
Thannamandi one of the biodiversity rich areas of district Rajouri, covers a total area of 229 km... more Thannamandi one of the biodiversity rich areas of district Rajouri, covers a total area of 229 km 2 . The altitude ranges between 1100 - 2000 m and supports sub-tropical to temperate vegetation and offers congenial climatic conditions favourable for luxuriant growth of the vegetation including ferns. Field collections were made from 2012 to 2013 for the assessment of Pteridophytic diversity and their ecology attributes. Ferns of the selected area are divided into 04 major ecological categories which are further sub categorized into sub-categories. Lithophytic ferns are more in number followed by terrestrial, epiphytic and hydrophytic. Altitudinal distribution of pteridophytes reveals that number of species varies from lower to higher altitude. With altitudinal range as maximum number of species present in higher altitude and then keeps on decreasing towards lower altitude. Further, based on our surveys and analysis conservation of board leaved communities are also suggested as it is...
Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources, 2018
The present study is carried out in Ladakh to document the indigenous knowledge on bio-resources ... more The present study is carried out in Ladakh to document the indigenous knowledge on bio-resources management. People here practice various indigenous techniques for storage, use and management of their local resources. Some of the indigenous practices for storage of cultivated crops ( i.e. , food grains, vegetables, and fruits), fuel, fodder and several other bioresources in nutshell are described in this paper. The present study not only established the validity of traditional knowledge but also indicates the urgency to use and keep them in a sustainable mode. Indigenous knowledge if not conserved properly will be seriously threatened under pressure of modernization and especially on account of the apathy among the new generation.
International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 2021
Verbascum thapsus L. belongs to Scrophulariaceae family is a biennial, or occasionally an annual ... more Verbascum thapsus L. belongs to Scrophulariaceae family is a biennial, or occasionally an annual plant, with a deep tap root. The plant is tall (up to 2 m) stout flowering stem and a large (up to 60 cm in diameter) basal rosette of pubescent, oblanceolate leaves (Grieve, 1971; Whitson, 1991). Cauline leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, decurrent, gradually reduced up the stem and densely woolly with branched hairs (Millspaugh, 1974). The inflorescence is a spike-like raceme 20–50 cm long and approximately 3 cm in diameter. The sessile flowers are usually one per axial with pedicels less than 2 mm and slightly irregular with rotate corollas (Millspaugh, 1974). There are at least 250 known species of Verbascum of which the most important is Verbascum thapsus L. The active ingredient in Verbascum thapsus includes flavonoids like 3 methylguercitin, hesperedin and verbascoside; polysaccharides; iridoid glycosides including harpagoside; harpagide and aucubin and saponins and volatile oils (Pa...
The study has aimed to develop an agro-techniques of potential and commercially viable medicinal ... more The study has aimed to develop an agro-techniques of potential and commercially viable medicinal plant (Inula racemosa) in cold desert of Ladakh. It was observed that the Inula racemosa was easily cultivated through rootstock with easy techniques and with minimal care. Through this techniques around 98% of the plants survived and established. The two year old rootstock can yield around 580 kgs/kanal and can earn around 0.61 lakhs per kanal. Number of stem is significantly correlated with fresh weight of the root at 5% and flower head per plant is highly significant correlated with fresh weight of root at 1% and the primary root length is also highly correlated with the fresh weight of the root.
The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajour... more The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajouri-Poonch culture. Due to its manifold uses and utilization its risk of extinction has increased. The species does not regenerate well from seed that is another risk factor. The objective of this research was to investigate the population ecology of the data deficient tree species as a foundation for its conservation. Five forest communities in the Rajouri-Poonch district were sampled. The abundance of the species, impacts of harvesting and its current regeneration patterns indicated that it may soon be extirpated from the study area. A plan for conserving the remaining sub-populations is presented. It could provide a template for conservation in other locations where the species is at risk.
The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall ... more The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall thus making the atmosphere cold and dry. Sixteen percent of the total landmass of the world is under the cold arid zones. Indian cold deserts come under the Trans-Himalayan zone. Major parts are confined to Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir and Lahaul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir, the cold desert lies between 32°15ʹ 36° N and 75°15ʹ 80°15ʹ E. It covers approximately 68,321sq km. The flora of this region comes under alpine and high alpine zones, followed by few stunted shrubs and bushes. Among these floras, there are several fodder plants which are used by the local people for livestock feeding. Local people rear livestock, particularly cattle, goat, sheep and yak, which play a key role in the development of the socioeconomic condition of the inhabitants as they get milk, meat, wool etc. from them besides the manure for improvement of soil fertility. Farmers also earn some ca...
Indus, Nubra and Suru are three geographically different Indian trans-Himalayan regions. Ten plan... more Indus, Nubra and Suru are three geographically different Indian trans-Himalayan regions. Ten plants from each region were studied to find out the variations in total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in Rumex leaves. The Folin-Ciocalteu reagent assay was used to determine the TPC, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) for free radical scavenging activity. Total antioxidant power was determined by ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Among the solvents used, 70% acetone has higher TPC (803.43 mg GAE /100 g FW), IC50 DPPH (0.99 mg mL-1), ABTS (1.37 mg mL-1) and FRAP (0.261 mg mL-1). Genotypes belonging to Indus valley show highest TPC (797.59 mg GAE /100 g FW), DPPH (1.06 mg mL-1), ABTS (1.54 mg mL-1) and FRAP (0.248 mg mL-1) among the regions studied. Cluster analysis demonstrated that genotypes belong to Nubra valley shaping distinct cluster. The results of principle component analysis w...
Ephedra gerardiana is critically endangered and one of the most important medicinal plant of Tran... more Ephedra gerardiana is critically endangered and one of the most important medicinal plant of Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh. It is majorly used medicinal plant of Ayurveda, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, Homeopathy, Siddha, Allopathy and other traditional medical systems, hence it is very important to understand its density, and cultivation technique for effective sustainable collection, conservation and utilization. The three valleys of Ladakh viz., Indus, Suru and Nubra valleys were analysed for the population census where the density of the species were ranges between 0.2-3.85 ind/m2 revealed the degree of threat of the species. Germplasm collected from different locations were studied for cultivation packages and practices in three conditions such as polycarbonate greenhouse, trench greenhouse and open field as controlled. We observed that the highest germination percentage (82.67±3.79) and survivability percentage (75.67±4.04) in polycarbonate greenhouse followed by trench greenhouse (58.00±2.00...
The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajour... more The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajouri-Poonch culture. Due to its manifold uses and utilization its risk of extinction has increased. The species does not regenerate well from seed that is another risk factor. The objective of this research was to investigate the population ecology of the data deficient tree species as a foundation for its conservation. Five forest communities in the Rajouri-Poonch district were sampled. The abundance of the species, impacts of harvesting and its current regeneration patterns indicated that it may soon be extirpated from the study area. A plan for conserving the remaining sub-populations is presented. It could provide a template for conservation in other locations where the species is at risk.
Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices... more Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices. Recent re-emergence of herbal medicine along with the ever-escalating threats to biodiversity and the intensifying biopiracy controversies have necessitated an urgent need of documentation of the traditional use (s) of bioresoures. Therefore, an attempt has been made to document the ethnopharmacological uses of plants utilized in the traditional medicine system/household remedies by the inhabitants of the cold desert. We recorded a total of 68 plant species belonging to 58 genera and 34 families which are used traditionally to cure various diseases/ailments. Thirty three plant species are non-native whereas thirty five species are native to Indian Himalayan region. Various part (s) of these species are used to cure cough/cold, bronchitis, fever, liver disorders, kidney stone, joints pain etc. The study would help in developing a comprehensive data base of ethnopharmocological uses of plants, help in strengthening the health care system in the villages/rural areas and also in conserving the traditional knowledge and practices for posterity.
Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research
The paper deals with the ethno-botanical studies and survey of rare and endangered medicinal plan... more The paper deals with the ethno-botanical studies and survey of rare and endangered medicinal plants of Chang-La and Taglang-La and surrounding villages (Meru, Lato, Gya, Sasoma and Rumtse). Although the region looks barren and lifeless, it actually represents a treasure house of diversity of plants with high medicinal, aromatic value and also fulfils other useful purposes (such as food, fodder, fuel and ritual requirements). Predominant species of these areas are:- Geranium wallichianum, Carum carvi, Aconogonom tortuosum, Cremanthodium elisii, Corydalis stricta, Oxytropis microphylla, Cicer microphyllum, Rosa webbiana, Caragana versicolor, Artemisia macrocephala, Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Hippophae rhamnoides, Astragalus tibetanus, Thalictrum foliolosum, Delphinium brunonianum. The medicinal plants surveyed during tour was widely used in Sowa- rigpa system of Indian medicine for curing various diseases and ailments as it has no side-effects compared to allopathic medicines. The p...
The family Orchidaceae, best represented by the species Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo, is kn... more The family Orchidaceae, best represented by the species Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo, is known worldwide for its manifold uses. It is widely used to cure various diseases like dysentery, diarrhoea, chronic fever, cough, stomachache, wounds, cuts, burns, fractures, general weakness, etc., and widely used in modern medicine. Therefore, an attempt has been made to assess the medicinal potential of the species both in traditional as well as in modern medicine system. These properties are supposed to be cured by different active compounds present in the plant. This paper provides the relevant information about medicinal properties of the high value medicinal orchid.
International journal of pharma and bio sciences, 2014
Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices... more Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices. Recent re-emergence of herbal medicine along with the ever- escalating threats to biodiversity and the intensifying biopiracy controversies have necessitated an urgent need of documentation of the traditional use (s) of bioresoures. Therefore, an attempt has been made to document the ethnopharmacological uses of plants utilized in the traditional medicine system/household remedies by the inhabitants of the cold desert. We recorded a total of 68 plant species belonging to 58 genera and 34 families which are used traditionally to cure various diseases/ailments. Thirty three plant species are non- native whereas thirty five species are native to Indian Himalayan region. Various part (s) of these species are used to cure cough/cold, bronchitis, fever, liver disorders, kidney stone, joints pain etc. The study would help in developing a comprehensive data base of ethnopharmocological uses of...
Efforts have been made to identify the suitable natural condition for long-medium term storage of... more Efforts have been made to identify the suitable natural condition for long-medium term storage of horticultural crops and rare threatened species of the region, seeds cost effectivity, by comparing different natural storage conditions including controlled chamber maintained temperature at-18 oC and the other at ambient natural conditions at different locations i.e., permafrost are Chang-La, situated at the height of 17, 600 ft. in trans-Himalayan region with subzero temperature for most part of the year, Leh location where temperature also remains at-subzero for half the year and Chandigarh having a tropical climate. The 16 important horticulture crops and four medicinal plants representing the dicotyledonous seeds were assessed for different storage conditions for their germination percentage and longevity. The germination of stored seeds was monitored after five years. The results showed that all the accessions were able to maintain their seed germination percentage very close to their original values in the two locations i.e., Chang-La and Leh. Suggesting that some horticulture crops and rare medicinally important species could be stored in-situ for long and medium-term conservation at natural low temperature at Leh and at extreme altitude 17, 600 ft above sea level permafrost facility at Chang-La.
Not much attention has been paid to a wide range of indigenous leafy vegetables that can grow in ... more Not much attention has been paid to a wide range of indigenous leafy vegetables that can grow in high altitude harsh climatic conditions with minimal care. Therefore, a study was carried out on yield potential and palatability of indigenous leafy vegetables (ILV) that grows in trans-Himalayan Ladakh. Seven ILV viz. Fagopyrum tataricum, Rumex patientia, Fagopyrum esculentum, Amaranthus cruentus, Malva vertisilester, Lepidium latifolium and Atriplex hortensis that are being used by native people of Ladakh were recorded for their morphological characters, earliness, yield and other consumer preference traits. The highest yield was recorded for A. hortensis (1.80±0.06 kg/m2). The study suggested that A. hortensis and A. crunteus have high palatability and are most preferred by the consumers. Yield potential of the cold hardy A. hortensis is significantly higher and it is an early maturing crop. Therefore, detail studies on A. hortensis are required, and efforts need to be made for large...
Thannamandi one of the biodiversity rich areas of district Rajouri, covers a total area of 229 km... more Thannamandi one of the biodiversity rich areas of district Rajouri, covers a total area of 229 km 2 . The altitude ranges between 1100 - 2000 m and supports sub-tropical to temperate vegetation and offers congenial climatic conditions favourable for luxuriant growth of the vegetation including ferns. Field collections were made from 2012 to 2013 for the assessment of Pteridophytic diversity and their ecology attributes. Ferns of the selected area are divided into 04 major ecological categories which are further sub categorized into sub-categories. Lithophytic ferns are more in number followed by terrestrial, epiphytic and hydrophytic. Altitudinal distribution of pteridophytes reveals that number of species varies from lower to higher altitude. With altitudinal range as maximum number of species present in higher altitude and then keeps on decreasing towards lower altitude. Further, based on our surveys and analysis conservation of board leaved communities are also suggested as it is...
Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources, 2018
The present study is carried out in Ladakh to document the indigenous knowledge on bio-resources ... more The present study is carried out in Ladakh to document the indigenous knowledge on bio-resources management. People here practice various indigenous techniques for storage, use and management of their local resources. Some of the indigenous practices for storage of cultivated crops ( i.e. , food grains, vegetables, and fruits), fuel, fodder and several other bioresources in nutshell are described in this paper. The present study not only established the validity of traditional knowledge but also indicates the urgency to use and keep them in a sustainable mode. Indigenous knowledge if not conserved properly will be seriously threatened under pressure of modernization and especially on account of the apathy among the new generation.
International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 2021
Verbascum thapsus L. belongs to Scrophulariaceae family is a biennial, or occasionally an annual ... more Verbascum thapsus L. belongs to Scrophulariaceae family is a biennial, or occasionally an annual plant, with a deep tap root. The plant is tall (up to 2 m) stout flowering stem and a large (up to 60 cm in diameter) basal rosette of pubescent, oblanceolate leaves (Grieve, 1971; Whitson, 1991). Cauline leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, decurrent, gradually reduced up the stem and densely woolly with branched hairs (Millspaugh, 1974). The inflorescence is a spike-like raceme 20–50 cm long and approximately 3 cm in diameter. The sessile flowers are usually one per axial with pedicels less than 2 mm and slightly irregular with rotate corollas (Millspaugh, 1974). There are at least 250 known species of Verbascum of which the most important is Verbascum thapsus L. The active ingredient in Verbascum thapsus includes flavonoids like 3 methylguercitin, hesperedin and verbascoside; polysaccharides; iridoid glycosides including harpagoside; harpagide and aucubin and saponins and volatile oils (Pa...
The study has aimed to develop an agro-techniques of potential and commercially viable medicinal ... more The study has aimed to develop an agro-techniques of potential and commercially viable medicinal plant (Inula racemosa) in cold desert of Ladakh. It was observed that the Inula racemosa was easily cultivated through rootstock with easy techniques and with minimal care. Through this techniques around 98% of the plants survived and established. The two year old rootstock can yield around 580 kgs/kanal and can earn around 0.61 lakhs per kanal. Number of stem is significantly correlated with fresh weight of the root at 5% and flower head per plant is highly significant correlated with fresh weight of root at 1% and the primary root length is also highly correlated with the fresh weight of the root.
The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajour... more The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajouri-Poonch culture. Due to its manifold uses and utilization its risk of extinction has increased. The species does not regenerate well from seed that is another risk factor. The objective of this research was to investigate the population ecology of the data deficient tree species as a foundation for its conservation. Five forest communities in the Rajouri-Poonch district were sampled. The abundance of the species, impacts of harvesting and its current regeneration patterns indicated that it may soon be extirpated from the study area. A plan for conserving the remaining sub-populations is presented. It could provide a template for conservation in other locations where the species is at risk.
The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall ... more The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall thus making the atmosphere cold and dry. Sixteen percent of the total landmass of the world is under the cold arid zones. Indian cold deserts come under the Trans-Himalayan zone. Major parts are confined to Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir and Lahaul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir, the cold desert lies between 32°15ʹ 36° N and 75°15ʹ 80°15ʹ E. It covers approximately 68,321sq km. The flora of this region comes under alpine and high alpine zones, followed by few stunted shrubs and bushes. Among these floras, there are several fodder plants which are used by the local people for livestock feeding. Local people rear livestock, particularly cattle, goat, sheep and yak, which play a key role in the development of the socioeconomic condition of the inhabitants as they get milk, meat, wool etc. from them besides the manure for improvement of soil fertility. Farmers also earn some ca...
Indus, Nubra and Suru are three geographically different Indian trans-Himalayan regions. Ten plan... more Indus, Nubra and Suru are three geographically different Indian trans-Himalayan regions. Ten plants from each region were studied to find out the variations in total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in Rumex leaves. The Folin-Ciocalteu reagent assay was used to determine the TPC, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) for free radical scavenging activity. Total antioxidant power was determined by ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Among the solvents used, 70% acetone has higher TPC (803.43 mg GAE /100 g FW), IC50 DPPH (0.99 mg mL-1), ABTS (1.37 mg mL-1) and FRAP (0.261 mg mL-1). Genotypes belonging to Indus valley show highest TPC (797.59 mg GAE /100 g FW), DPPH (1.06 mg mL-1), ABTS (1.54 mg mL-1) and FRAP (0.248 mg mL-1) among the regions studied. Cluster analysis demonstrated that genotypes belong to Nubra valley shaping distinct cluster. The results of principle component analysis w...
Ephedra gerardiana is critically endangered and one of the most important medicinal plant of Tran... more Ephedra gerardiana is critically endangered and one of the most important medicinal plant of Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh. It is majorly used medicinal plant of Ayurveda, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, Homeopathy, Siddha, Allopathy and other traditional medical systems, hence it is very important to understand its density, and cultivation technique for effective sustainable collection, conservation and utilization. The three valleys of Ladakh viz., Indus, Suru and Nubra valleys were analysed for the population census where the density of the species were ranges between 0.2-3.85 ind/m2 revealed the degree of threat of the species. Germplasm collected from different locations were studied for cultivation packages and practices in three conditions such as polycarbonate greenhouse, trench greenhouse and open field as controlled. We observed that the highest germination percentage (82.67±3.79) and survivability percentage (75.67±4.04) in polycarbonate greenhouse followed by trench greenhouse (58.00±2.00...
The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajour... more The Himalayan Box tree (Buxus wallichiana) is valuable and vulnerable tree associated with Rajouri-Poonch culture. Due to its manifold uses and utilization its risk of extinction has increased. The species does not regenerate well from seed that is another risk factor. The objective of this research was to investigate the population ecology of the data deficient tree species as a foundation for its conservation. Five forest communities in the Rajouri-Poonch district were sampled. The abundance of the species, impacts of harvesting and its current regeneration patterns indicated that it may soon be extirpated from the study area. A plan for conserving the remaining sub-populations is presented. It could provide a template for conservation in other locations where the species is at risk.
Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices... more Trans Himalaya of the Indian Himalayan region is repository of indigenous knowledge and practices. Recent re-emergence of herbal medicine along with the ever-escalating threats to biodiversity and the intensifying biopiracy controversies have necessitated an urgent need of documentation of the traditional use (s) of bioresoures. Therefore, an attempt has been made to document the ethnopharmacological uses of plants utilized in the traditional medicine system/household remedies by the inhabitants of the cold desert. We recorded a total of 68 plant species belonging to 58 genera and 34 families which are used traditionally to cure various diseases/ailments. Thirty three plant species are non-native whereas thirty five species are native to Indian Himalayan region. Various part (s) of these species are used to cure cough/cold, bronchitis, fever, liver disorders, kidney stone, joints pain etc. The study would help in developing a comprehensive data base of ethnopharmocological uses of plants, help in strengthening the health care system in the villages/rural areas and also in conserving the traditional knowledge and practices for posterity.
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