Phenology and Survival of some Himalayan medicinal plants domesticated at different altitudes (original) (raw)

2012, International Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Aconitum heterophyllum, Angelica glauca, Dioscorea deltoidea, Hedychium spicatum, Heracleum candicans , Picrorhiza kurrooa, Podophyllum hexandrum, Saussurea costus and Valeriana jatamansi are high value threatened me- dicinal plants of Himalayan region. In present study, phe nology and survival of these species domesticated at different altitudes, viz., 1100m, 1600m, 1800m, 2200m and 2500m in district Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India, were observed. Op- timum survival of D. deltoidea, H. spicatum, H. candicans, P. hexandrumand V. jatamansi across 1170 to 2500 m indi- cated their adaptability at a wider range of altitudinal zones. However, low survival of A. heterophyllum, A. glauca, P. kurrooa and S. costus below 1600 m restricted their cultivation possibilities up to high altitudinal zones only. Further, flowering and fruiting periods in most of the species varied greatly amongst the domestication sites. These preliminary results of the study provide baseline information for selectio...