Seeds of Andrographis paniculata, collected from Gujarat University were evaluated for natural and induced variations, using 45 KR, 55 KR, 65 KR, 75 KR and 90 KR doses of gamma radiations. A wide range of variation was observed for all the morphological characters within the control and irradiated populations. Radiation dose of 75 KR was reported to be the best with respect to germination, stem diameter, number of branches and number of pods, whereas leaf size was maximum in 90 KR plants which is a character of agronomic interest.

Gliricidia sepium - a deciduous bush which shed off its leaves during winter is one of the species worth for its utilization as ‘Biomass energy’ - the cheap, non-polluting, renewable source of energy. The leaf litter of the Gliricidia plants is being used to produce bioenergy by anaerobic digestion. The slurry obtained after anaerobic digestion has got high manurial value which can be used as organic manure for plants, and to increase soil fertility. In present investigation efforts have been made to find the manurial effect of digested residual slurry of G. sepium leaf litter on germination and seedling growth of G. sepium. It has been found that the fresh digested slurry obtained from the digester has reduced seed germination while dehydrated slurry promotes germination and growth of the seedlings.

Considerable variation between tree in Moringa oleifera growing in Jabalpur, India, was observed in respect of a) capsule physical characteristics, viz., colour, longitudinal surface furrows, form, length, girth, weight of seed-filled capsule, weight of capsule after seed extraction, number of seeds per capsule, and b) seed physical characteristics, viz., seed coat colour, seed weight, wing colour, wing opacity and wing fragility. Highly significant tree-to-tree differences were observed in germination attributes. The germination percentage and peak value of fresh seed varied from 57.7 to 94.0% and 9.83 to 21.36 units respectively whereas the corresponding figures after six-month seed storage ranged from 7.3 to 90.3% and 0.94 to 21.75 units.

Seeds of Asparagus racemosus Willd. (Shatavari), both freshly extracted (39% moisture content by fresh weight) and stored for one week (20% moisture content), were subjected to eleven pre-sowing treatments: in tap water for 4 hours, in boiled water for 3 hours, in giberellic acid solution (100 ppm) for 4 hours, and sulphuric acid scarification for 2 minutes. Seeds whose black seed coats were partially damaged by insects were also included as a treatment. The effect of treatments on germination was studied up to 90 days. Almost all (98.8%) the untreated fresh seeds germinated within 90 days. None of the pre-treatments improved cumulative germination. On the other hand, soaking in boiled water was detrimental to seed viability. In another trial, seeds extracted from berries just before colour break (green) gave high (97%) germination in 91 days whereas those extracted from fruits after colour break (crimson) recorded low germination (63%).

The present communication deals with twenty five medicinal plants used by the tribal communities, viz., Tharu, Bhotia, Bhoxa, Gond, Kol, Chenchu, Santal, Reddy, etc. in their health care practices. Each plant is provided with its botanical name, important synonym, family, tribal name(s), medicinal uses and biological activity.

In vitro plantlet production of Azadirachta indica was developed using nodal segments as explants. Multiple shoots were induced on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg 1-1 BA, 4 to 6 weeks after inoculation. Subsequently the in vitro developed shoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg 1-1 IAA. The rooted plantlets were transferred to polybags containing sterile soil mixture under mist chamber condition.

Pleurotus sajor-caju is a cultivated edible mushroom which is gaining popularity in India due to its ability to grow at higher temperature. In order to improve it further radiation treatments ranging from 50 to 75 KR were given to spores and hybridized dikaryons thus obtained showed increase in yield, average weight of a mushroom indicating radiation could be used to induce favourable variation in P. sajor-caju.

Nutritional value of some major food plants were studied seasonally. All the grass species showed a higher level of protein content during winter and least during summer while browse species did not showed any seasonal variation. The same trend was noticed in the case of level of calorific value except in the case of browse species it showed a variation among the season. Ether content was noticed maximum during summer in both grass and browse species.

Fifteen honey samples extracted from Apis florea in Kutch region of Gujarat. Out of which ten selected representative samples were analysed for twenty one characteristics, these included mainly 20.30 to 21.90 per cent moisture, 0 to 0.01 per cent sucrose, 41.44 to 44.47 per cent fructose, 32.87 to 36.43 per cent glucose, 0.11 to 0.14 per cent acidity and 0.10 to 0.22 per cent ash. It also contained diastase No. 3.28 to 4.87 and HMF 5.72 to 12.30 mg/kg. This shows good quality as per Indian and even International Standards. The study on composition and assessment of quality of honey for Apis florea in Kutch (Gujarat) has been undertaken for the first time, in view of its good scope of production and marketing.

Seed storage studies were carried out in Shorea robusta keeping in view low seed longevity. Seeds were stored in three different containers, kept at four different temperatures for six weeks. It was found that seed stored in plastic bins at 150C temperature showed 49.5 per cent germination after 4 weeks and 9.5 per cent germination after six weeks in storage, while seed stored in porous containers, i.e., earthen pot recorded 28.0 per cent germination after six weeks when stored at 100C.

Pinus gerardiana is well known as Chilgoza or Neoza in dry fruit trade from North-western Himalaya. The research work carried out on its various aspects such as distribution, total area under cultivation, artificial and natural regeneration, vegetative propagation, harvesting, genetic improvement and marketing is dealt in present communication. The suggestions have been made regarding the afforestation, conservation of genetic resource and popularization of the fruit orchard at par to other horticulture fruit orchards.

Chitradurga and Kolar provenances differed in their character association with pulp yield in tamarind. Pod yield per tree, pulp weight per pod and pulp to pod ratio in Chitradurga provenance and in Kolar provenance characters, viz., pod width, pod yield per tree, seed yield per tree, pulp weight per pod and pulp to pod ratio showed positive and significant association with pulp yield per tree. Path co-efficient analysis revealed that pod yield per tree and pulp to pod ratio are most important pulp yield components as they show high direct effect in both provenances.

Gond, a major tribe of Madhya Pradesh, resides in Seoni District too. The present study incorporates the ethnomedic­inal survey of 54 medicinal plants used by Gond tribes in various ailments. Periodical field trips were conducted in tribal villages of Seoni District in the year 1994-1995 to collect information on plants used by the Gond tribe. The informations were collected after discussion with local medicine men, vaidhyas and other experienced villagers. Such plants include: Abutilon indicum, Acacia nilotica, Achy­ranthes aspera, Acorus calamus, Aegle marmelos, Allium cepa, A. sativum, Aloe barbadensis, Annona squamosa, Argemone mexicana, Asparagus racemosus, Azadirachta indica, Buchana­nia lanzan, Butea monosperma, Caesalpinia crista, Calotropis procera, Cassia tora, Carica papaya, Centella asiatica, Cissus quadrangularis, Citrus medica, Coriandrum sativum, Curcuma longa, Cuscuta reflexa, Datura metel, Emblica officinalis, Euphorbia nivulia, Ficus bengalensis, F. glomerata, F. religiosa, Jatropha gossypifolia, Justicia adhatoda, Lawsonia inermis, Linum usitatissimum, Musa paradisiaca, Ocimum sanctum, Pergularia daemia, Plumbago zeylanica, Pongamia pinnata, Psidium guajava, Pterocarpus marsupium, Ricinus communis, Semecarpus anacardium, Shuteria hirsuta, Smilax macrophylla, Syzygium cumini, Tagetes erecta, Terminalia bellirica, T. chebula, Tinospora cordifolia, Urginia indica, Vitex negundo, Withania somnifera and Woodfordia fruticosa.

The Human Resource Development has gained immense importance in view of the changing needs and perceptions. Training as an important tool for the Human Resource Devel­opment has to cater to the needs of different user’s groups. Institutions like Forestry Research & Human Resource Devel­opment Centre have taken up the responsibility for imparting vocational training to the lower and middle level workers of plantation sector. Urgent need of utilizing trained man power has been felt as a natural re-course to higher produc­tivity.

The inflorescence of Apium graveolens is a compound umbel, with secondary divisions known as umbellets. Each umbellet bears flowers and peripheral flowers develop first showing centripetal development which is typical of the Apioideae. Flowers are hermaphrodite but protandrous. Anthesis as well as dehiscence of anthers is centripetal and sequential within the umbel as well as umbellet. Anther dehiscence and stigma receptivity are asynchronous. Although self compatible Apium graveolens practices a mating system which is a blend of autogamy and xenogamy. Pollen grains are longiaxial in celery.

North-eastern region of India comprising states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Sikkim and North Bengal Himalaya (West Bengal) is very rich in forest resources and is considered as a major centre for plant diversi­ty. It has been acknowledged as the ‘Cradle of Angiosperms’ and also as the centre of genetic diversity for species of orchids, bamboos, Hedychiums, palms, Rhododendrons, Magnolias, etc. The area has numerous wild relatives ca. 300 cultigens of plants of food, medicinal and horticultural values, e.g., Musa, Citrus, Coix, etc. The region has by and large tribal population, e.g., Bodos, Garos, Khasis, Jaintias, Dafla, Miris, Mikirs, Lushai, Kukis, Lepchas etc., and they live in a particular socio-economic mi­lieu. These ethnic groups are rather isolated from one another and are dependent on forests for food and medicines, etc., through the primitive knowledge which is well preserved in their respec­tive groups. Ethnobotanical data on ca. 100 plants of North-eastern region have been highlighted along with their uses. The need for the conservation of the biological diversity of rare and threatened species of ethnobotanical importance through in situ and ex situ measures have been suggested.

Neem fruits collected from eight agro-climatic zones of Gujarat state were analyzed for variation in seed index, seed kernel to seed ratio and chemical constituents viz., fatty oil and azadirachtin content. Method was optimised for quantitative estimation of azadirachtin content in neem seed kernels using high performance liquid chromatography. The azadirachtin content was estimated in neem seed kernels using this optimised method.