Informatics Publishing Limited

Vijay K. Purohit , Lok Man S. Palni , Hem C. Rikhari , Shyamal K. Nandi

Abstract

The ischolar_maining ability of air layered shoots of Quercus glauca, a difficult to ischolar_main species, and subsequent performance of well ischolar_mained shoots under different microclimatic conditions have been examined. Different concentrations of auxins (lBA, NAA and IAA), Shuttedex and Bavistin (Carbendazim 50%) were used to induce ischolar_maining in shoots during rainy season. A relatively lower concentration of IBA (100 ppm) resulted in maximum (73.3%) ischolar_maining of air layered shoots, whereas highest number of ischolar_mains per air layered shoot were formed when the same concentration of NAA was used. The survival of ischolar_mained shoots (plants) thus obtained was 100% inside a mist chamber, following transfer to soil. The increment in height and leaf number after one year was found to be maximum for plants kept inside a poly house, followed by those kept in a polypit. However, the lowest values for these two parameters were observed for plants kept in the open and under a chhappar (thatch), respectively. On the other hand maximum and minimum height increment for seed raised plants was observed when the seedlings were grown inside a polypit and in the open, respectively. Although the relative growth rate of both seedlings and air-layered plants was found to significantly differ under different microclimatic conditions, the same was not statistically different for the plants raised by these two methods, indicating that the performance of air layered plants and seedlings is comparable.

Full Text

     

Anil Kumar , Shyamal K. Nandi , Bhuwan Chandra , Mohinder Pal

Abstract

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) harbours a large number of economically important plants, which include several species of medicinal value. The ever increasing demand, particularly in view of world-wide shift for the drugs of herbal origin over synthetic counterparts, has led to overexploitation of medicinal plants. In addition, lack of organised cultivation has resulted in many of these plants finding place in the list of vulnerable, endangered or threatened categories. Thus there is an immediate need for mass multiplication of many of these species to make available the planting material for taking up organised cultivation. This article reviews the work on in-vitro multiplication of Taxus baccala subsp. wallichiana, Podophyllum hexandrum, Aconitum balfourii and Picrorhiza kurrooa, with particular reference to work carried out in this laboratory. The importance of selecting elite planting material (in relation to active ingredient content) from the natural populations and the application of molecular markers to characterise the genetic diversity within and among different populations has been discussed. Moreover, alternative methods of obtaining active principle(s) through callus, suspension and hairy ischolar_main cultures for these medicinal plants have been highlighted. These aspects have been dealt with keeping in focus the dual objectives of conservation and meeting the commercial demands through cultivation.

Full Text

     

Arun Kumar Jugran ¹, Indra D. Bhatt ¹, Suvendu Mondal ², Ranbeer S. Rawal ¹, Shyamal K. Nandi ¹

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, IN
2 Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai 400 005, IN

Abstract

Valeriana jatamansi (family Valerianaceae) is a highvalue medicinal plant used in traditional and modern medicine. In the present study, 25 populations (151 genotypes) of V. jatamansi were collected from Uttarakhand, India and investigated using nuclear and chloroplast SSR markers. Six nuclear and seven chloroplast polymorphic SSR primer pairs were used to evaluate genetic variability and population relatedness. These primer pairs have generated 55 fragments (27 nuclear, 33 chloroplast). The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 7. Expected heterozygosity of the 25 V. jatamansi population was 0.108-0.222 with a mean of 0.165 for nuclear SSR markers and 0.147- 0.265 with a mean of 0.215 for chloroplast SSR markers. Based on AMOVA analysis, 6.0% (P = <0.001) of total genetic variation was found. Nuclear SSR markers exhibited highest genetic diversity in samples collected from 1501 to 1800 m amsl altitudinal range and from pine forest habitat. In case of cpSSR, samples collected from 2101 to 2400 m amsl and grassland habitat exhibited highest diversity. These markers could be helpful in the identification and prioritization of genetically diverse populations/individuals for conservation and utilizing them in genetic improvement of V. jatamansi.

Keywords

Conservation, Gene Flow, Genetic Diversity, Microsatellites, Valeriana Jatamansi.

Full Text