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Volume 8 Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography Biodiversity Congress 2018
July 26-27, 2018
July 26-27, 2018 Melbourne, Australia
7th International Conference on
Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management
Sustainable harvesting, conservation and analysis of genetic diversity in Polygonatum verticillatum (Linn.)
Anchal Rana
Forest Research Institute, India
Indian Himalayas with their diverse climatic conditions are home to rare and endangered medicinal flora. One such species is
Polygonatum verticillatum Linn., popularly known as Solomon’s Seal. Its mention as an incredible medicinal herb comes from
5000 years ago in Indian Materia Medica as a component of Ashtakavarga, a poly-herbal formulation comprising of eight herbs
illustrated as world’s first ever rejuvenating nutraceutical food, which is now commercialized in the name Chyawanprash. It
is an erect tall (60 to 120 cm) perennial herb with sessile linear leaves and white pendulous flowers. The species grows well in
altitudes ranging from 1600 to 3600 m AMSL and propagates mostly through rhizomes. The rhizomes are potential source for
significant phytochemicals like flavonoids, phenolics, lectins, terpenoids, allantoin, diosgenin, β-sitosterol and quinine. Having
profound concentrations of macro and micro nutrients, species has fine prospects of being used as a diet supplement. However due
to unscientific and gregarious uprooting, it has been assigned status of ‘vulnerable’ and ‘endangered’ according to IUCN red-list
criteria. Further, destructive harvesting, land use disturbances, heavy livestock grazing, climatic changes and habitat fragmentation
have substantially contributed towards anomaly of species. It therefore became imperative to conserve diversity of the species and
make judicious use in future research. A Gene Bank was therefore established at high altitude herbal garden of Forest Research
Institute, Dehradun, India situated at Chakrata (30o42’52.99’’N, 77o51’36.77’’E, 2205 m AMSL) consisting 149 accessions collected
from 31 geographical locations spread over three Himalayan States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The present investigations purport towards sampling and collection of divergent germplasm followed by planting and cultivation
techniques. The ultimate aim is thereby focused on analyzing genetic diversity of the species, and capturing promising genotypes for
carrying out further genetic improvement program so to contribute towards sustainable development.
Biography
Anchal Rana is a Research Fellow at Forest Research Institute, India. Her research interests are forestry, climate change, forest genetics and agriculture.
Anchal Rana, J Ecosyst Ecogr 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2157-7625-C4-041