The increasing level of human population’ demand on wild plant species necessitate identification of new plants as source of food. A study conducted in unexplored tribal pockets of Tamil Nadu to assess the availability of the wild plant resources and their sustainable utilization by the local people have resulted in the recording of 39 plant species used by them. This information will be helpful to promote development and commercialisation of under-utilized species as well as promoting in situ conservation of wild crop relatives and wild plants for increasing the food production.

Browse productivity and utilization was studied for six major species namely Capparis sepiaria, Capparis decidua, Acacia nilotica, Prosopis juliflora, Balanites roxburghii and Salvadora persica. Maximum productivity was recorded from Prosopis juliflora and minimum from Capparis decidua whereas, maximum species utilized was Acacia nilotica and minimum Capparis decidua. The ungulate of each plant species pertains to the feeding by all the ungulate species but it does not indicate how much each species has consumed. A formula was derived to know the consumption of each browse species by each ungulate species.

An ethnobotanical survey was carried out in Nallamalai hill ranges of Andhra Pradesh, India. Chenchus, Sugalis, Yanadis and Yerukalas are the main tribes inhabiting these hill ranges. This paper deals with the non-timber forest resources ex­ploited by the tribals of Nallamalai forest. These resources include gums, roots, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, bamboos and honey. Method of scientific extract of gum Karaya is given.

Genetic divergence, as measured by D2 statistics was studied in 39 genotypes of Terminalia arjuna and T. tomento­sa complexes for 9 foliar attributes, viz., area, length, breadth, L/B ratio, L x B, single leaf weight, stomatal frequency, stomatal length and stomatal breadth. Maximum contribution (60.46%) towards divergence was made by leaf weight followed by stomatal frequency (14.44%) and stomatal length (12.55%). The 39 genotypes fall into 7 clusters. The clusters I to VII had 24, 8, 1, 1, 1, 3 and 1 genotypes respectively. The clusters III to V and VII exhibited mini­mum (0.0%) intracluster distance whereas maximum (6.097%) intracluster distance was observed in cluster VI. The maxi­mum intercluster distances (29.213%, 28.207%) were noticed between clusters VI-IV and VI-III while minimum (5.850%, 5.87%) intercluster distance was exhibited between VI-VII and III-IV clusters respectively. The minimum (107.667) and maximum (464.22) cluster means for leaf area was exhibited by clusters III and VI while clusters IV and VI had minimum (2.490) and maximum (23.978) cluster means for leaf weight respectively. On the contrary, the maximum (67.333) and minimum (25.333) cluster means for stomatal frequency were exhibited by clusters VII and V respectively. Present stud­ies support the view that separate taxonomic status is required for T. arjuna var. arjuna syn. T. glabra, T. arjuna var. angustifolia syn. T. berryi, T. crenulata, T. coriacea and T. alata var. alata.

Present study was carried out to find out association of some important characters with the yield of active com­pounds and their contribution, direct or indirect, to the yield of furocoumarin. With this in view correlation and path analysis studies were undertaken. Genotypic co-efficient of correlation (GCC) revealed strong and positive association of furocoumarin content in roots with the number of secondary roots, fresh root yield grams per plant, fresh root yield kg/ha., dry root yield kg/ha., secondary root length, leaf area and leaf yield. GCC were in general, greater than the corresponding phenotypic values. Environ­mental co-efficient of correlation values were relatively low in most of the cases. Path co-efficient analysis re­vealed that furocoumarin yield per unit area and fresh leaf yield exhibited highest direct effect on per cent furocouma­rin content in roots. The indirect effects were found to be regulating the character association in most of the cases. These characters can form the criteria for selection and improvement in this species.

Fifteen mulberry (Morus species) varieties were analy­sed for seven shoot yield component parameters for their relationship and contribution towards the production of biomass in social-forestry. Various statistical tests, viz., simple correlation co-efficient, multiple regression equa­tion and path co-efficient were applied to correlate the shoot yield component parameters. Test analysis reflects a highly complex interaction among the component characters: stem weight per plant and leaf weight per plant directly govern the shoot yield in most of the varieties, whereas the number of branches per plant, internodal length and their different combinations have indirect effect on shoot yield.

Goran is one of the most economically important species in the Sundarbans, the single largest mangrove forest in the World. It is the main source of fire-wood, tannin, charcoal, medicine, good quality honey, etc. Out of total 3955 km2 forest area the pure Goran forest type occupies 95 km2, Gewa- goran type 362 km2 and Goran-gewa type 572 km2 area. Every year about 40 thousand people are engaged in Goran harvesting in the sundarbans. The revenue collection from Goran is about 193,275 US $ per year and quantity is about 61,699 metric tons. Now due to increasing demand and multiple uses its harvest is being increased.

Rooting performances of girdled, blanched, girdle + blanched and non-conditioned cuttings prepared from summer growth of previously lopped mature trees of Grewia optiva were studied under mist after treating with 2000, 4000 and 6000 ppm of indole-3-butyric acid. All the cuttings were also treated with 2000 ppm of p-Hydroxybensoic acid before IBA treatment. In all the concentrations of IBA, precondi­tioning has greatly improved rooting over non-conditioning. Maximum rooting was recorded in gridle + blanched cuttings at 6000 ppm IBA closely followed by 2000 ppm or in girdled cuttings at 4000 ppm IBA. When considered the overall per­formance, the girdle + blanched cuttings at 2000 ppm IBA produced the best result.

Indian Squill is one of the most important species of medicinal value which has been indiscriminately exploited. The present paper deals with its medicinal as well as other values and its utility in the life of Gujjar tribes of Siwalik hills of North-west India.

Seeds of Chukrasia tabularis contain 30% of oil which is quite encouraging. The oil is rich in linoleic and linolenic acids which are nutritionally essential fatty acids. The oil does not contain oxygenated fatty acid glyc­erides and epoxy fatty acid glycerides, hence the oil is likely to be a good edible oil provided it has no toxic properties.

Harvesting trials were conducted in the plantation Bambusa bambos stand at Kallipatty, Tamil Nadu using the completely randomized design with eight treatments which varied in the intensity of harvesting in each clump. The production of bamboos was measured. The result indicated that clear cutting killed the bamboo plants, but selection cutting of those culms older than three years increased their production.

The present paper deals with 158 species of flowering plants of medicinal value found wild in Madhaulia Forest of Gorakhpur Forest Division, U.P.

A supplementary list of the host plants of lac insects reported during the last thirty years has been prepared. Notes on the availability of lac including species of lac insect and locality where it has been observed are also given. Nomenclature of the host plants, if it has changed, has been updated.

Two stratified random sample surveys were conducted to characterise bamboo distribution in the homegardens in Kerala and to examine the nature of interrelationships between bamboo occur­rence (abundance) and the size of operational holdings. Methods included a species inventory of the homegardens, besides semi-structured interviews to elucidate the indigenous ecological knowledge on bamboo cultivation. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) the larger operational holdings have a higher frequency of bamboo occurrence, (2) homestead bamboo represents a shrinking resource base, and (3) that the indigenous ecological knowledge on bamboo cultivation is adequate. Results show that only 3% of the 584 operational holdings surveyed had bamboo, the predomi­nant species being Bambusa arundinacea. Larger holdings and midlands were characterised by a greater abundance of bamboos. Commercialization of the homegarden system, fragmentation of holdings, construction activities, etc., may lead to a substantial obliteration of the state’s rural bamboo resources. Inter-specific competition, allelopathic influences, enhanced rodent population under bamboo cover and the general afflictions to carry out farm operations in the presence of bamboo clumps have created a general apathy towards bamboo. Boundary planting, trenching around the clumps and shade regulation may represent the ecologically rational local practices in vogue.

Bacosides, a memory enhancer isolated from Brahmi. The herb Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri (L.) Penn., is a reputed traditional remedy, finds its first mention in Atharvaveda. Subsequently it has been referred too in Charaka and Susruta Samhita and other Ayurvedic Materia Medica. In traditional system of medicines, Brahmi is considered to be a valuable nervine tonic used in insanity, epilepsy and hoarseness. It is also reported to be a powerful diuretic, laxative, useful in inflammation, leprosy, scabies, leucoderma and syphilis. Because of its multifarious uses against several ailments, it has been thoroughly investigated in recent years. The recent studies have indicated that it enhances the memory of rats in several learning tests. Bacosides, the saponin mixture, isolated from the plant, have been found to be responsible for promoting memory and learning in the experimental animals. Therefore, standardised Brahmi extract, a herbal remedy for memory improvement, was developed by C.D.R.I., which has been commercialised by Velvette International Pharma Industries Ltd., Madras, under the trade name Memory Plus and Memory Plus Candy. The present paper deals with the correct botanical name, synonyms, vernacular name, brief description, phenology, ecology, traditional medicinal uses and distribution of Bacopa monnieri in India.

Single noded cuttings of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris L.) measuring 15 cm, pretreated with bavistin 0.1% for 15 minutes were horizontally planted in polybags for vegetative propagation. Induction of shoots and roots were observed followed by initiation of zero order branches (the main axis). Growth of vegetatively grown plantlets was very fast than conventional seedlings raised from seed of fast growing Dendrocalamus strictus bamboo.

Eighteen lac host-plants have been reported from Haryana based on the observa­tions made during the period of ten years from 1986 to 1996. These include six new records from the state and 12 lac host-plants which have already been recorded.

Experiments were conducted to find out the effect of planting season and storage on survival and growth of bare root seedlings of Bael and Karonda under Tarai conditions of U.P. The survival decreased with increasing period of storage independent of season in both the species. The survival in Bael seedlings was over 65% after six days of storage whereas in Karonda it was 86% after seven days of storage.

The present communication highlights some novel and hitherto little known uses of Saccharum spontaneum by Diara population and plead for its commercial exploitation for the upliftment of Diara population, which live below the poverty line.

Flemingia semialata was evaluated for its potentiality as a lac host and was found promising host for intensive lac cultivation.

Dalbergia szemaoensis was introduced from China to evaluate it as a host for Indian lac insect kerria lacca for intensive lac cultivation. A new dwarf genotype from the raised population was found advantageous for lac cultivation and being multiplied at large scale for further studies.