The investigations were carried out to study the effect of morphological and environmental parameters on oleoresin yield. The experiment was carried out in Jelly UPF –167, Unprotected Forest of Mashobra Range of Shimla Forest Division of Himachal Pradesh. Borehole method of tapping was used to extract the oleoresin from Pinus wallichiana. The trees having the diameter of 30-35 cm were selected for tapping. Highly significant and positive simple correlation coefficients and genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients were observed between oleoresin yield vs. needle length and oleoresin yield vs. height of trees. The correlation studies between oleoresin yield and environmental factors showed that the oleoresin yield was directly correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with rainfall.

Nursery experiments were conducted to select the suitable biofertilizers and their combination to improve the quality of Acacia nilotica seedlings. Nilotica seeds were germinated in poly pot with a potting mixture of unsterilized sand. Seedlings of 5 cm length were transplanted to polyethylene bag (13 x 25 cm). The biofertilizers such as Rhizobium, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungal species Glomus fasciculatum and Azospirillum, were inoculated individually and in combinations. Root, shoot length and collar diameter were recorded six months after inoculation the root and shoot weight, number of nodules and nodular weight was estimated. Results show that the total length of seedlings and biomass were significantly increased in all the treatments when compared to control. Among the treatments maximum growth and biomass were recorded in Rhizobium + AM + Azospirillum combination and it was recorded 156.8% more than that of control. Among the individual inoculations, Rhizobium treatment was better than other individual inoculation. Within double inoculations, Rhizobium + AM combination was found to be superior to others. In general, Azospirillum and its combinations with other biofertilizers had more root length and root biomass than other treatments.

The present study deals with variations and associations among the morphological traits, seed structural and seed bio-chemical traits among selected 21 candidate plus trees (CPTs) of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), distributed in hyper-arid, arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of Rajasthan. Semi-arid environment was found to be most conducive for higher seed production, though due to better rainfall and other favourable environmental conditions, obviously the growth and development of trees were best in dry sub-humid region. Interestingly, azadirachtin content was found maximum in seed kernels of hyper-arid region, which calls for muti-dimensional studies in this direction, since azadiractin is most important active compound of the species. In general, CPTs exhibited fair range of variations for various characters studied.

116 species belonging to 66 families, used by the local people of the Likhu Sub-watershed, Nuwakot District, Nepal are reported based on a field survey. Local people have remarkable detailed knowledge of species identity, characteristics and their specific uses. At present, these traditional knowledges and practices are disappearing particularly due to unplanned land use change and over-explotation of the species. Some species (Berberis asiatica, Melia azederach, Nardostachys grandiflora, Zanthoxylum armatum) are under serious threat indicating urgent need of documentation and conservation of useful plant species with their uses and habitats.

The study was undertaken with different germination media like; sand, soil, vermiculite, perlite, soilrite, cocopeat and compost either alone or in combination under semi controlled conditions with an objective to find their effect on the germination percentage, germination value and seedling growth of Santalum album L. The study revealed that, media containing either pure sand or pure vermiculite or Cocopeat with Vermiculite, Charcoal and neemcake in 10:6:3:1 ratio favoured high germination percentage and germination value as compared to other treatments. As such, effect of germination media on seedling growth was not observed. Any one of these three media can be used for the improved seed germination of S. album based on the availability and convenience.

An experimental trial was conducted under nursery condition in Shimla hills of Himachal Pradesh to study the growth performance and effect of different spacings on the growth of Withania somnifera. The present investigation showed that the average height of the seedlings decreased in those seedlings, which were spaced widely, while the average number of shoot, survival percentage and root biomass increased in those seedlings which were spaced widely and it decreased in closely spaced seedlings. The study also indicated that Withania somnifera seedlings could be successfully grown in lower temperate regions of Shimla hill.

An investigation was carried out to determine the exact maturity stage in Santalum album. The results revealed that the moisture content and specific gravity decreased with the advancement of maturity. At maturity, moisture content and specific gravity came down from 50.29 to 35.79 per cent and 1.11 to 1.09, respectively during Season I. Whereas, in Season II, the fall in the respective values was from 55.88 to 34.28 per cent and 1.07 to 1.03, respectively. At this stage the colour of the fruits was red and grayish purple. Among the different collection dates, 4th week of April (Season I) and 1st week of November (Season II) were found best as they gave the maximum germination percentage and germination value during Season I (55.44% and 12.13%, respectively) and Season II (64.00% and 12.17%, respectively). Fruits/ seeds collected from trees having 10-15 cm diameter gave excellent germination than other trees with 5-10 cm and >15 cm diameter.

Tamarindus indica Linn. is an excellent multipurpose tree species, with each and every part of the tree having specific use. An evaluation of thirty-five genotypes of Tamarind selected from various locations of South India was carried out based on variability and genetic analysis of selected seed and seedling traits. Variability studies for seed traits revealed that, genotype TI-17 expressed superiority for nine parameters viz., 2D surface area (2.53 cm2), seed length (2.22 cm), seed width (1.60 cm), seed perimeter (5.62 cm), seed diameter (1.79 cm), roundness (1.46), 100 seed weight (169.11 g), mean daily germination (4.67 %) and germination percentage (98.25 %), followed by TI-9. Seed aspect ratio was significantly higher in TI – 15 (1.46). Seedling traits at forty-five days after sowing under nursery conditions has revealed that, genotype TI – 17 recorded highest values for number of leaves (13.0), shoot fresh weight (5.08 g), shoot dry weight (1.63 g) and root dry weight (0.33 g) while TI–9 exhibited significant superiority for shoot length (39.60 cm) and vigour index (6199.37). Genetic analysis of the ten seed characteristics revealed that 2D surface area has maximum GCV (33.12) and PCV (33.30). Hundred seed weight was found to possess high heritability (99.87 %) coupled with high genetic advance as percentage over mean (63.41 %) followed by 2D surface area (98.92 % and 67.86 %). Of the various seedling characters studied, high GCV (39.10) and PCV (57.18) with heritability of 46.8 % and GA of 55.1 % was registered for shoot dry weight followed by shoot fresh weight.

The paper deals with ethnoveterinary uses of 17 wild plant species belonging to 17 genera and 14 families. These therapeutic information’s were gathered from tribal communities residing in the remote villages within Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve in the States of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Out of 17 ethnoveterinary uses recorded, 12 were found to be new uses as far as curing various ailments in domestic animals are concerned.

Western Ghats, the abode of several botanical entities with promising economic value in modern field of horticulture and plant breeding, covers a biogeographic region of 160,000 km2 along the West Coast of the Peninsular India (Nayar, 1996). This biogeographic zone has multi-dimensional biological affinities with distant landmasses like Malesia, Africa and Polynesia. The present article discusses seven promising, but mostly lesser-known, wild endemic fruit trees of common Indo-Malesian genera found to occur on the slopes of the Western Ghats.

Weeds have a direct effect on crop yields when they compete with the crop for nutrients, moisture and light. It is found infested with a variety of ways, which compete with the crop and often cause losses in grain yield ranging from 20-30%. During this study dominance, diversity and species composition of the weeds of Rice field in Doon Valley was studied. The study was conducted in the various Villages viz. Babugarh, Doctorganj and Bawanpur of the Vikasnagar block of Doon Valley in the month of August and September. A total of 24 weeds of rice fields were recorded in the selected sites. Lindernia anagallis, Cyperus iria and Echinochloa colona are the dominant weed species in the month of August, with the heighest IVI values (73.36, 57.69 and 67.45) in Babugarh, Doctorganj and Bawanpur respectively. Meanwhile, in September the highest IVI values (65.84, 53.66 and 94.56) were reported for weed species Caesulia axillaris, Cyperus difformis and Fimbristylis miliacea for the selected villages of Vikasnagar block of the Valley. Maximum diversity 2.54 was reported in the village Doctorganj during the month of September.

Grasses are, economically, the most important group of plants; they belong to family poaceae and provide major and minor cereals, fodder and raw material of papers, medicine, drugs etc. The tribal and rural people of Vidisha District use different parts of grasses in crude from as cure for many diseases. This paper deals with 18 grass species used in fungal infection, haematuria, urinary diseases, intestinal warm, fever, cough, body ache, wounds, snakebite, gonorrhoea etc.

The present paper deals with some ethno-medicinally and socio-economically important plants used by the tribal inhabiting in and around the Singalila National Park. Systematic enumeration of 46 species, their uses and local name(s) has been provided.

Corypha umbraculifera L., commonly known as ‘Talipot Palm’ belongs to the family Arecaceae and is a Palm with great utility. The species is native to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. The species is at great pressure of endangerment in South India owing to a variety of reasons. The present paper discusses the various reasons for its population decline.