An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of hedgerow species on reclamation of Jhum fallow lands. Survival percentage of various species ranged from 60.0 to 80.0. Pruned biomass yield was recorded highest in Crotalaria tetragona (195.5 q/ha) and lowest in Flemingia macrophylla (47.0 q/ha). The total N, P and K concentrations in the pruned biomass ranged from 3.23-3.86; 0.32-0.81 and 1.26 to 1.67%, respectively. Soil fertility was significantly improved by hedgerow spp. and species like Tephrosia candida, F. macrophylla, C. tetragona, and Indigofera tinctoria have shown greater impact on improving the fertility status of the soil compared to Desmodium rensonii and Cajanus cajan. The results revealed that hedge species could be successfully used for quick nutrient recovery in Jhum fallow/Jhum abandoned areas since trees have long gestation phase.

Hard wood and juvenile cuttings of Aegle marmelos, Sapindus mukorossi and Terminalia bellirica were tested for their capacity to form roots. Cuttings were treated with different concentrations of auxins (IAA, IBA, NAA and 2, 4-D) in four seasons (spring, summer, rainy and winter). Hard wood cuttings of S. mukorossi rooted only in spring season whereas juvenile cuttings of the same species rooted in three seasons (spring, summer and rainy). Hard wood cuttings of the T. bellirica showed only callus formation in spring season whereas the juvenile cutting of T. bellirica proved callus as well as root formation in the same season. A. marmelos failed either to sprout or root throughout the four seasons. Exogenous application of IAA and IBA induced profuse rooting in S. mukorossi and T. bellirica.

Attempts were made to multiply Ginkgo biloba L. - an important medicinal species through in vivo and in vitro techniques. For macro propagation mature hard wood and juvenile soft wood cuttings were treated with auxin IBA in various concentrations. Sixty percent rooting was achieved in juvenile soft wood cuttings treated with IBA 4000 µg gˉ¹. Significant differences were observed in root length and root number with respect to treatments. For micro propagation nodal explants were inoculated on MS medium supplemented with different concentration of Cytokinins (BAP, Kn and Zn (1-5 mg dm ˉ³) along with Auxin (NAA 0.25-0.5 mg dmˉ³) and antioxidant PVP (250 mg dmˉ³). The best response was achieved in Kn 2 mg dmˉ³ + NAA 0.5 mg dm along with PVP.

Two species of oak tasar silkworm, namely Antheraea proylei Jolly and Antheraea pernyi Guerin- Menevelle and eight synthesized breeds named PRP₂, PRP₃, PRP₅, PRP₁₂, RPP₄, Blue, B₆ and BY₁ were used in full 12 diallel cross mating system and 90 F₁ hybrids were generated. Combining ability analysis was carried out for eight important economic characters, viz., fecundity, hatching, survivability (effective rate of rearing, ERR %), cocoon yield (number of cocoons per disease free laying, dfl), cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratio, and filament length following full diallel cross analysis given by Griffing (1956a and b). The variances due to general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) showed the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects in the inheritance of the eight characters studied. The values of the ratio of the non-additive genetic variance to additive variance showed that non- additive gene action played great role in the inheritance of the traits-hatching. cocoon yield, survivability (ERR), cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratio and filament length. Significant reciprocal variances revealed in seven parameters viz., fecundity, hatching percentage, cocoon yield per dfl, ERR, cocoon weight, shell ratio and filament length indicated the maternal effects in these traits. The breed viz. BY₁ exhibited significant GCA effects in majority of the characters followed by B6 and PRP₁₂ which indicates that that these breeds are good combiners. The analysis of SCA effects and reciprocal effects in 90 crosses revealed that none of the hybrids was consistently good in all the eight characters studied. Only two crosses showed significant SCA effects in four characters and two crosses showed significant SCA effects in three characters while a few hybrids showed significant effects in one or two characters only. Among the indirect crosses, only one cross showed significant reciprocal effects in four characters and four crosses showed significant reciprocal effects in three characters while a few hybrids showed significant effects in one or two characters only. The three hybrids namely PRP₁₂ X Blue, BY₁ X PRP₅ and B₆ X PRP₁₂ which showed significant SCA effects and heterobeltiosis in most of the desired characters may be recommended for further field trial rearing for commercial exploitation.

Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata Fab. was recorded as a destructive pest of Solanaceous and Cucurbitaceous crops in various parts of District Rajouri of Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir State. It attacks Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae) which is used both in Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicines. Both adults and larvae cause a typical lace-pattern damage to the leaves of the plant. Its taxonomic status, distribution, descriptive notes. etc. have been described in the present paper.

The present study highlights some important lesser known wild edibles which have been traditionally used by indigenous people of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand but they have been neglected by research institutions, policy planners and food and medicine processing industries.

A trial was conducted to study the effect of female and male flower ratio per bunch on seed yield of Jatropha. The plants are randomly selected from five year old Jatropha plantation available at All India Co-ordinated Research Network Project on Under Utilized Crops, Center for Crop Improvement, S.D. Agricultural University, Sardar krushinagar. Its seed yield of Jatropha is unstable as it is depending on expression of female flower. The ratio of female and male flower in a bunch is variable 1:16 to 1:33. The flowering was started from first week of July and was continued up to second week of January with its peak period during August and September. Average number of bunches per plant and capsules per plant were higher in kharif 2007 as compared to kharif 2008. The seed yield per plant was drastically reduced in kharif 2008 (14.70) as more male flower were recorded in a bunch in compare to female flower. The water stress and high temperature during the flowering period leads to more number of male flowers. In kharif 2008, seed setting was very poor uneven distribution and low rain fall. The opening of female and male flowers and pollination depends on different factors as atmospheric temperature, soil fertility and availability of soil moisture and age of plant.

The State of Jharkhand abounds in the bounties of Nature in the form of huge mineral resources, enormous forest wealth and a wide variety of medicinal herbs/plants and spices, capable of successfully curing numerous ailments afflicting human race. In this paper, a modest attempt has been made to identify these immensely valuable gems of medicinal plants and their numerous therapeutical applications. Their proper cultivation, harvesting, tapping, harnessing and processing can transform the face of the sector in the State, economically, socially and environmentally. Some of these rare species are already on the verge of extinction and require immediate Government's attention and initiatives.

Pongamia pinnata a potential oil bearing tree could profitably be exploited and promoted as biodiesel for substantive gains in the rural economy. Keeping in view the importance of augmenting germplasm of Pongamia pinnata for evaluation and identification of elite genotypes from potential areas of Kamataka. An exploration trip was under taken to collect, conserve and evaluate potential of Pongamia pinnata germplasm which resulted in acquiring 48 accessions. A data sheet specifically developed for recording passport information has been enlisted. The wide range of variability for seed characters, seedling characters and oil content for different germplasm was observed, among them the accessions from Bagepalli and Choksandra of Kolar and Tumkur districts respectively were found promising with respect to pod, seed, seedling traits and seed oil content. These two germplasm can be further screened for tree improvement traits considering their immense value in yielding biodiesel.

A seedling seed orchard of Grewia optiva Drummond (Beul) established during 2000 at the University Campus, Solan comprising of 60 families with three replications (2 x 2 m spacing) was evaluated for fodder quality parameters, viz., ether extract, crude fibre, crude proteins, total ash contents, nitrogen free extracts and leaf dry matter contents. The variation in proximate fodder analysis among different families of Grewia optiva was found to be significant. Families SI-8, S1-13, HA-1 HA-2 and S-11 were found to be the best. Thus depicting that selections can be made among these families for further improvement programme to increase fodder quality parameters. Since all the families growing in the seed orchard are growing under the same environmental conditions, the variations occurring are surely due to genetic and interaction factors. Variability estimates and genetic parameters for different characters depicted significantly different among the families. At both genotypic and phenotypic levels the different families depicted positive correlations with crude fibre and ether extract and negative correlation with total ash contents and nitrogen free extract. The best genotypes can be multiplied for improving genetic gains under improvement programmes.

Lac a natural resin of animal origin that comes from an apple seed size insect Kerria lacca Kerr. (Tachardiidae: Homoptera). Traditionally lac is commercially cultivated on traditional hosts like Kusum (Schleichera oleosa), Palas (Butea monosperma) and Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana). To overcome the problems of long gestation period, scattered distribution and high crown of these traditional hosts, considerable efforts were made to explore suitable non-traditional host plants of short gestation period and low crown. In this context, non-traditional host species like Flemingia macrophylla and F. semialata was explored as intercrop in understorey of Dalbergia sissoo and control condition to check the possibility of cultivating Jethwi lac crop. Survival rate of F. macrophylla and F. semialata was 96%, 84.5% and 100%, 98% under control and experimental conditions with 4.49, 4.21 and 2.77, 1.69 average number of shoots respectively. Mean performance of plant height under control was 50% and 30% more than experimental condition in F. macrophylla and F. semialata respectively. The length of settlement was more than 86% (F. macrophylla) and 70% (F. semialata). Average density of settlement is more than 82 number of insects/cm² in F. macrophylla and 97 number of insects/cm² in F. semialata at both 21 and 75 days after inoculation. In general Male Female ratio was higher in F. semialata than F. macrophylla. Female number is on par under both the conditions in F. semialata; whereas, in F. macrophylla female number is high under experimental than control condition. Lac shell weight was higher under experimental condition and number of insects was more under control conditions on both hosts. Irrespective of the host plant, control condition yielded more scrap lac than experimental condition.

Syzygium travancoricum Gamble (Myrtaceae) is one of the critically endangered, endemic species of the Southern Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Inferior seedling survival and habitat destruction might be the reasons for its endangerment, which demands urgent ex-situ and in-situ conservation. The paper discusses the multiplication of this species through air layering carried out as part of its ex-situ conservation.

An interesting Jewel Orchid, Goodyera vittata Benth, ex Hook.f. is being reported for the first time from Western Himalaya. Brief description of the species along with illustration, phenology and notes on microhabitat have been provided.

Dicentra scandense (D.Don) Walp. have been used traditionally as an important ethnomedicinal plant by certain tribal communities living in the North East India and Nepal. The extract of the plant from root tuber and leaf is prescribed as remedy against fevers, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders and diuretic. Recognising the importance of this lesser known ethnomedicinal plant as a potential source for further investigation into scientific validations of the uses as claimed by these tribal communities, a preliminary screening of the various phytochemical constituents from both the root tuber and leaf was under taken. The results of this investigation showed that the plant contains alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, tannins and cardiac glycosides. Flavonoids and saponins were not detected in the present investigation.

The Utility value of plant species in the natural communities like forests of multipurpose tree species and herbs is diverse such as for making agricultural tools for day to day life as traditional and veterinary medicines and for the manufacture of certain household articles. The foot hills Anaimalais, the Western Ghats of Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu is mainly occupied by dry and moist deciduous forests in many places and scrub jungle in some specific areas (Champion, 1936) many species of different life forms like trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs etc are present in these vegetations with different economic uses. Owing to this importance and easy accessibility, many species are exploited by the local public for their day to day life particularly for agriculture uses and medicinal purposes in the rural areas adjoining to Anaimalais. In the present paper a number of 50 species present in low hills of Anaimalais, the Western Ghats, in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu is described for their local and domestic uses.

Traditionally important medicinal plants used by the inhabitants of Kudiraimozhi theri (KMT) was analysed during 2003-2007. Out of the 510 plant species collected 204 plants were recorded as medicinal plants. Of the 204 plants 35 important medicinal plants and their mode of usage for common ailments such as fever, cold, stomach ailments, skin ailments etc. have been given.

A study of Rainbow Ginger (Curcuma aurantiaca Zijp.) is a wild species of Curcuma with very high ornamental potential. Ten accessions of the species were collected from different naturally growing populations in Kerala state of India and grown at Calicut University Botanical Garden (CUBG) to study its ornamental potential. The vegetative phase of the plants was completed from May to December under rain fed conditions and it bloomed from July to November. The inflorescence, which appears in different hues, is a promising material as cut flowers and ground cover. Observations on vegetative and floral characters revealed the ornamental potential of the species. Standing duration of the inflorescence was found to be very long, extending up to 116 days and vase life of the inflorescence from 6 to 10 days. Domestication and improvement can be attempted to exploit the potential of this unexploited ornamental species.

The traditional health care system is quite prevalent in the rural areas of Mananthavady thaluk. Paniya tribe is a very prominent tribal group of Wayanadu district of Kerala state with unique culture and traditions. Many wild plants constitute a part of food as vegetables of Paniyas. The present study deals with enumeration of 42 plant species from 22 families, used as traditional medicine and food by local indigenous community of the area. The different parts of the weeds are used to cure several kinds of illnesses. The leaf is predominantly used for the source of food and medicine.

A preliminarily survey was conducted for poisonous and medicinal plants in tropical dry deciduous forests of Sagar district and its environ in Central India. A Total number of 15 species were collected belonging 13 families are reported here. Out of these 02 herbaceous, 03 shrub and 10 tree species were classified. These plants are used traditionally medicines in many diseases, however in large doses may be harmful and show poisonous activity. These plants species are known for their different poisonous properties like asphyxiation, cardiac, blood, brain and irritant poisoning etc. Chemical constituents, plant habit, family, toxic parts, local name, flowering season, toxicity and medicinal uses have been described and discussed.

The present paper includes ethnobotanical notes on 47 species of medicinal plants, which are used by local people as antidote or pain reliever against the poisonous sting or bite of creatures as reptiles, insects and animals.

Orchids have been used in the local system of medicine, in different parts of the world since time immemorial. Presently, extensive field surveys were made in the state of Himachal Pradesh during which frequent visits were made in and around the orchid rich forest belts. Based on the observations, the present communication provides an account of 25 species of medicinally important orchids from the state along with brief notes on their habit, distribution, and flowering Period and medicinal uses. Many of these are still in use in traditional medicine systems, especially in the tribal regions.

An ethno-medicinal exploration carried out in the near by villages of Tangmarg area District Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir, India, revealed that 23 plant species distributed in 19 families were reported to be used as folk medicine curing several diseases. The data was collected from the local inhabitants of several different professions, elderly people, practicing herbalists, senior reliable hakims (local doctors) and medical practitioners through personal interactions. Botanical names, family, local names and folk medicinal uses of these plant species have been collected and enlisted.