In-Situ Conservation of Selected Medicinal Plant Species in Alpine zone Kandara Medicinal Plants Conservation Area in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand

Abstract

Among the 40 medicinal plant species of alpine zone for which Kandara MPCA has been declared for in-situ conservation only three globally significant medicinal plants viz. Aconitum heterophyllum (Endangered as per IUCN Red List), Picrorhiza kurrooa (Endangered) and Nardostachys jatamansi (Critically Endangered as per IUCN Red List) have been selected for in-situ conservation. The enrichment was standardized through planting seedlings, rhizomes and seeds from the natural populations in the MPCA at lower, middle and upper 1/3rd portions of the hill slopes in compartment 3b of Kandara MPCA. The upper 1/3rd portion of the hill slopes showed highest survival (52% seedlings and 42% from seeds) for Aconitum heterophyllum and 60% for seedlings, 42 % for rhizomes/stolons and 33 % for seeds of Picrorhiza kurrooa respectively in comparison to middle and lower 1/3rd portion of the hill slope. Seedlings performed better as compared to rhizomes and seeds in terms of survival percent. Therefore, enrichment planting through nursery raised seedlings can be an effective method for in-situ conservation of these medicinal plant species in their natural habitat.