Work

Development Of Agro-Technologies Of Some Rare, Threatened And Endangered Taxa Of Himalayan Medicinal Herbs

Development of field applicable agro technologies of Aconitum atrox, Aconitum heterophyllum and Saussurea lappa medicinal Plants and their extension to the local growers through training programme as well as the successful preparation of "Seed Park" (FieldGene Bank) coupled with the promotion of herbal cultivation by providing the seed material vis-à-vis technical know how to the populace are the main outputs of the project.
The outcome of the awareness programme in context with the conservation and cultivation of medicinal plants was that a large number of villagers are ready to adopt the practice of ex-situ conservation through cultivation for their economic upliftment but due to availability of planting material resources only a few growers were provided the germplasm .. In due course of time, an adequate amount of planting material will be prepared for providing to the desirous families of the locale.

The technologies of multiplication of medicinal plants were imparted to the local villagers in the extensive field level training programme (TRUGA Camps) at the project demonstration site. Besides, the methodology for active people participation in conserving the MAP biodiversity, the ex-situ conservation of rare and threatened taxa through cultivation, results of innovative techniques for mass scale propagation as well as other important aspects in this direction were presented in regional seminars, national conference and international symposiums.
The research findings have been highlighted in the Regional Consultation on Maps: Past Efforts and Future Endeavour organised by HVPVC/SLPR/ICIMOD on 22-23 September 2009 at Kathmandu ,Nepal as well as Fourth World Ayurvedic Congress and international seminar on "Conservation, Cultivation, Sustainable Collection, Processing and Marketing of Medicinal Plants" ,in which a guest lecture was delivered on "Increasing Gender-balanced livelihood Security through Conservation & Cultivation of High Altitude Medicine Plants: Uttarakhand Himalaya India on 11th and 12th December 2010 at Bangalore.