Issue 1, March 2002

Twenty six seed sources of Acacia nilotica scattered over nine states of India were studied to know the pattern and extent of variation in seed morphology and germination. Statistically significant differences were observed among the seed sources for all the characters studied. The variation in germination percentage was large (34-91.33%) as compared to other characters studied. Germination per cent is positive and significantly correlated with 100 seed weight and viability and showed negative association with purity and number of seeds in 100 gm. The variation observed in seed morphology and germination characters were non clinal type, except for significant positive relationship between longitudes and germination per cent and significant negative association with latitude and 100 seed weight. The seeds from Daltonganj, Jaipur and Raipur were found with higher germination and better suited for plantation and tree improvement programme. The study indicated the importance of germination percentage and 100 seed weight as the criterion for selection of seed sources for bulk commercial plantation.

The ecosystem of Doon Valley is greatly influenced by open cast mining for limestone, marble, dolomite and phosphorite, etc. The mining on the watershed has resulted in denudation of hill slopes, loss of vegetation and soil cover, decrease in soil moisture retention, nutrient holding and water recharging capacity and thereby changing the total hydrological picture of the region. Land degradation in the region has become the most important problem when dealing with the watershed management. Poor moisture availability in addition to various other physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient deficiency, are responsible for poor growth of plants. In order to restore the vegetation cover, productivity in term of fuel, fodder and to regulate the hydrological behaviour of the watershed, micro-interventions using silvipastoral system, i.e. planting of grasses in between trees and shrubs have been carried out in mined degraded areas. The impact of micro-interventions on autogenic progression of other species, soil physico-chemical attributes and infiltration characteristics after seven years of restoration have been studied in Bhitreli micro-watershed of Doon Valley and results discussed in the present paper.

Genetic divergence using Mahalanobis D² analysis among 15 genotypes of shisham with twenty component characters at 5 years of age led to their grouping into six clusters. Three genotypes fall in cluster I, four in cluster II, three each in cluster III and IV, and only one in cluster V and VI. Maximum and minimum distances were observed between cluster IV and V and clusters III and V, respectively.

This paper examines the factors that could influence the long-term change in the real prices of teak (Tectona grandis Linn.f.), sold in auction in the Forest Department depots in Kerala State, India. Autoregression analysis showed that the real price of teak in a year was closely related to its preceding year’s real price, indicating a successive dependence which partly influence the trends in real prices. It was found that the real price was not related to the production of teak in the current year, but inversely related to one-year lagged production.  It indicates that a reduction in production in the previous year follows an increase in the current year’s real price. The time lag, for transporting teak logs from forests to the depots and auction procedures, explains the relationship between current year's real price and one-year lagged production. Due to stoppage of clear felling of natural forests in 1984, production of teak from forests has diminished substantially. Moreover, considerable quantity of teak sold through the depots was found to move out of Kerala. The declining trend in production and growing demand for teak outside the state have cumulatively contributed to the drastic increase in the real prices of teak in Kerala after 1977.

A study was carried out on three month-old seeds of Grevillea robusta A. Cunn., to improve the germination and vigour potential through growth hormone and nutrient treatments. The seeds were soaked in water, potassium nitrate and thiourea (each 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 per cent), GA₃ (100, 250 and 500 ppm) and mixture of the three (1:1:1 proportion) solutions for 24 hours prior to sowing. The results of germination and vigour evaluation 28 days after sowing revealed the beneficial effects of GA₃ (250 ppm) over the rest with 43 per cent germination as against 9 per cent in control. Improvement in vigour was six-fold higher than the control. 150 days after sowing the seedling growth in terms of root length, shoot length, number of leaves, collar diameter, root dry weight and shoot dry weight has been greatly enhanced by pre-soaking seed treatment with 250 ppm GA followed by the combined treatment. While thiourea showed deleterious effect.

Seeds of Dalbergia sissoo collected from dry and wet regions were sown in polythene lined earthern pots containing 5 kg non-calcareous, non-gypsiferous soil of various salinity levels, i.e., 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 dSm^-1 (Cl:SO₄=8:2) in the screen house of Department of Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, to assess the extent of salt tolerance in Dalbergia sissoo at establishment stage. The study was carried out up to 90 days after sowing. The germination percentage of both the seed sources of D. sissoo was reduced significantly with the increase in salinity level. The germination also got delayed with the increase in salinity level. This effect was slightly more in wet zone seed source as compared to dry zone seed source. Growth parameters like shoot length, root length, fresh and dry shoot and root weight of D. sissoo seedling of both the seed sources were decreased significantly with the increase in salinity levels in all the three observations recorded after 30, 60 and 90 days of sowing. Growth of D. sissoo was normal at ECe of 2 dSm^-1, up to ECe 4 it was tolerable but beyond ECe 4 it reduced significantly. The salt tolerance level of both the seed sources of D. sissoo was increased with the advancement of age.

Establishment of dependency relationship among various products of the forest can provide the framework for developing a sustainable forest management plan. In the absence of such relationship a compromise can be accepted by developing a set of criteria and indicators of forest measures.  Thus, sustainable forest products harvest and biodiversity conservation goals can be achieved simultaneously. A forecast of the availability of forest products will assist in developing marketing plans. A framework for sustainable forest management has been suggested considering forest-stand diversity index, compactness index and forest maturity index.

Shivalik foothills spread in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttaranchal have proximity to the plain areas, and are therefore subjected to excessive biotic pressure. Due to this and other reasons including climatic cum geological factors, the region is losing its productivity over the years. Traditional agriculture systems have failed to provide beyond the subsistence level to the inhabitants of the area. Alternative land use systems were, therefore, tried in a watershed management project, called Relmajra, situated in the Shivalik foothills of Punjab in district Nawan-Shahar. Economic appraisal of the land use systems with supplemental irrigation has established that whereas, poplar with intercrops as maize-wheat rotation, provides the highest annuity (Rs. 75,622) in relatively better lands. Aonla, Ber and Kinnow-Bhabar systems have yielded the annuity as Rs. 65,366, Rs. 32,356 and Rs. 31,502, respectively on inferior lands having multiple constraints.

Plants diversity is recognized universally as a vital part of world’s natural heritage and most essential living source on this planet. They are considered as key component for the global sustainability. The present era has been of significant biological extinction due to loss of various habitats of plants arising primarily through the human interference for his materialistic needs.  It has been now seriously realised that the conservation of plant diversity should be accorded topmost global priority under the biodiversity conservation programmes. In order to face the challenge towards threats to plant diversity, Botanic Gardens have to play a leading role to conserve the plant resources during 21st century. The Botanic Gardens are developing fast as the important protectors of species of wild plants. The present communication deals with the ex-situ conservation studies in the Botanic Garden at NBRI, Lucknow.