An inventory on Non-Timber Forest Product resources was made during 2005-2006 covering most forest types in Mizoram, N.E. India. A total of 272 species of NTFPs was made in the present study which included medicinal plants (85 families), fruit plants (23 families), food (20 families), fuelwood (18 families) and fodder plants (8 families). Among the various families, Poaceae contributed most (24) genera followed by Arecaceae 17 genera while the least by both Fabaceae and Verbenaceae 07 each. Albizia procera was the most preferred fuelwood species which was consumed by as high as 2075 households while the least preferred was Quercus pachyphylla (only 75 households) in the surveyed sites. A diverse variety of NTFPs were found from the different forest types among which the most important NTFP from utilization perspective was Broomstick. It has also been found a large variety of plants and fruits available to people were used for a variety of purposes. Such activities on one hand contributed to our knowledge of various uses of biodiversity and on the other have resulted in rapid depletion of natural resources.

Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve is rich in biodiversity and gene pool. The forests of this area are full of valuable medicinal plants. But majority of medicinal plants of transition zone are facing serious threats due to various activities like overgrazing, and destruction of forests for cultivation. Many of them are disappearing due to indiscriminate exploitation by the local people including tribal due to their immense ethno-botanical and trade values. All this has resulted in over-exploitation and depletion of the natural population of these species, which has pushed them to the brink of threat and extinction. In this paper conservation assessment of some highly exploited endangered medicinal plants, viz., Chlorophytum arundinaceum Baker, Gloriosa superba L., Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) Schuttes and Sterculia urens Roxb. have been given, which needs special attention for conservation.

Species selection is very important when large scale plantations are planned or when some of the commercially important species from other regions are adopted and acclimatized for widening the resource base. A species trial of Rattans with four species from Karnataka and Goa part of the Western Ghats was conducted at two different elevations, at Kacchithodu at 300 m asl under Thrissur Forest Division and at Nelliampathy at 1000 m asl under Nemmara Forest Division. Species planted were Calamus prasinus, C. nagbettai, C. stoloniferus and C. thwaitesii (Goa Provinance). Survival percentage and growth in height were monitored during the experimental period. C. nagbettai grew well at both elevations. Hence this species is recommended for raising large scale plantations at elevations up to 1000 m.

Soil samples from 10 different regions in Andhra Pradesh were collected and plants of Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. were raised in pots containing each kind of soil. The chemical and physical properties of each kind of soil were broadly similar. Root nodulation characters of the Sesbania sesban were studied at 50 DAS. Highest nodule number was observed in plants raised in SS3 region. The Rhizobium isolates were obtained from root nodules of S. sesban grown in these soils. The plants inoculated with SSR-7 and SSR-8 gave maximum nodule number and biochemical constituents.

Vateria indica Linn. is an important resin yielding soft wood tree species, distributed throughout the Western Ghats. This species is considered as one of the vulnerable tree species and is endemic to the Western Ghats. Seed grading is one of the important components of forest nursery and it has advantages such as early enhancement and uniformity in seed germination. The present study was conducted to understand the effect of fruit size on seed germination, seedling vigour and biomass in Vateria indica. Matured fruits were separated and graded into two categories, i.e., smaller fruits (diameter < 4.5 cm) and bigger fruits (diameter > 4.5 cm). Results showed that the germination was early and uniform among bigger seeds than smaller ones. Seedling growth characters such as seedling height, collar diameter, number of leaves and seedling biomass characters such as fresh and dry weight of shoot and root showed significant differences between these two categories. Root and Shoot biomass showed significant variation where bigger fruits produced higher shoot and root biomass (1.83 and 0.80g) as compared to small ones (1.94 and 0.49g). This might be due to the presence of more maternal resources in the fruits. These results indicated that bigger sized fruit of Vateria indica performed better in terms of seedling vigour and biomass. However, fruit size more than 4.5 cm in diameter can be graded to get higher percent germination and uniform seedling growth. Most of the growth and biomass characteristics showed positive and significant association with fruit size, indicating that bigger sized fruits yield taller and bigger seedlings.

The convention of the biological diversity (CBD) recognizes the close and traditional dependence of many communities emboding traditional life system on biological resources. Home gardens are traditional Agro- forestry system in Manipur providing subsistence to the local populace. They are biological highly diverse and economically highly efficient. The paper reports some important plants of traditional values to Meitei community raised in home gardens locally called Ingkhol.

Neem seeds were collected at different stages of maturity, i.e., green, green-yellow and yellow to observe the effect on seed and seedling qualities. Fresh seeds collected at all the three stages of maturity exhibited insignificant difference in terms of germination. but green-yellow exhibited lowest mean germination time (MGT) and highest germination value (GV) compared to green and yellow in laboratory as well in nursery. The seedling performance of green-yellow was significantly better as compared to the green and yellow in terms of seedling length, number of leaves, collar diameter, total biomass, vigour index, sturdiness quotient and volume index. However, there was no significant difference in green-yellow and yellow in terms of root shoot ratio and quality index. While green–yellow seeds retained viability up to 233 days as compared to yellow (174) and green (155) days respectively. Stored seeds followed similar pattern as fresh seeds. Thus, the results indicate that Neem fruits of any colour capable of softening within a day can be collected if they are required immediately for sowing but if seed are to be stored for a brief period before sowing in nursery, green-yellow fruits may be collected.

In the present paper nineteen medicinal angiospermic plant species belonging to sixteen families and nineteen genera, which are useful in different type of fevers, have been discussed. These nineteen plants have antipyretic activities. These plants species are used as folk medicines in fever by Vaidhya or Hakim, rural and common people in Meerut District.

In order to study the impact of gamma irradiation in Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), experiments were carried out during the year 2000-2003 in the Department of Spices and Plantation Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with two replications using three genotypes namely Salem local - G1 (CL144), Alleppy finger turmeric - G2 (CL146) and PTS 43 - G3 (CL147). The treatments consisted of seven doses of gamma rays (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 kR) along with a control. The study revealed that lower doses of gamma rays were favourable for the yield contributing characters. The correlation study established that the weight of mother rhizomes, number, length and girth of primary rhizomes and number of secondary rhizomes expressed positive correlation with yield per plant in vMo generation. Similarly, the number, weight, length and girth of primary rhizomes, number, weight and length of secondary rhizomes and curing per cent were positively correlated with yield per plant in vM1 generation.

The paper provides information on the use of plant crude drugs the treatment of typhoid by Bhil tribe of Ratlam District (M.P.). It deals with 17 plants species under 17 genera belonging to 13 families for the treatment of typhoid. The Bhil tribe of the area totally depend on the herbal drug for their primary health care which is attributed partly to their socio-economic and cultural conditions.

Cedrus deodara is an important tree species of the Himalayan region and its clonal propagation assumes particular importance for rapid multiplication of desirable biotypes (elite). Cuttings taken from young shoots (current season’s growth) were variously treated with solutions of root inducing chemicals for 24 h, planted individually in polybags which were then placed inside a mist chamber. The experiments were conducted in four different seasons, i.e., winter, summer, monsoon and autumn. The most effective treatment was noticed for commonly used fungicide, bavistin (0.05%), that induced good rooting across seasons. Out of the two auxins tried, namely indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and µ-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), lower concentration (0.5mM) of IBA was more effective. Auxins were also treated in combination with phloroglucinol and coumarin, which were tried on their own as well, and the rooting success varied considerably. The monsoon season was found most suitable for taking cuttings. The results of this mist chamber based study were also compared with an earlier study carried out under a polythene tunnel, and the root induction was found similar to favour when treated cuttings were placed under mist chamber conditions.

The present review summarizes the studies regarding the isolation and characterization of phytoconstituents and the biological activity of Plumbago zeylanica. Biological activity like: cytotoxic activity, antifertility, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer and CNS activity of this plant have been reviewed in this paper.

A survey was carried out in the Sangla Valley of tribal District Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh to collect information on plants of religious beliefs. As a result of interaction with the local people the information on 8 plant species belonging to 7 genera from 7 families was collected. The present paper highlights the information on sacred plants.