Diversity and conservation of non-graminaceous forage species of Central India

Abstract

Forage species are integral part of the structural and functional ecology of that area. Survey and collection of forage species in natural grasslands of surrounding areas of Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi revealed that besides forage, major uses of 50 collected species were for medicines (100%), food (40%), green manure (27%), fuel wood (23%) and ornamental plants (23%). Some species were used as famine food (14%) and timber (10%). Minor uses of these species were for fiber (6%), cosmetics (6%), natural dye (4%) flavour & fragrance (2%), basket making (2%), etc. Few species such as Clitoria ternatea, Ficus religeosa and Ficus bengalensis were conserved for religious aspects. Among the medicinal plants, Mucuna and Canavalia are valuable and high demanding because they possess a secondary metabolite, L-Dopa in their seeds which is key drug in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. It was also found that some forage species were endangered (1%), rare and vulnerable (3%), at risk (0.5%) and at lower risk (2%) in this region. It was noted that these species were conserved by the people in various ways such as home garden (16%), cultivation and agricultural practices (14%), in-situ (28%), traditional conservation (16%), faith, tradition and religious aspects (12%) and for other aspects (18%). Besides, forage values, these species possess many economical traits that could be harnessed for betterment of livelihood of poor people and for ecological sustainability of that region.