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Received: 22/3/2017; Revised: 30/07/2017; Accepted: 31/07/2017

ABSTRACT

Indian Valerian (Valeriana jatamansi Jones syn. V. wallichii DC) is a medicinal and aromatic plant of Himalaya. It has become threatened and endangered plant species and is included in the endangered category by IUCN. In order to know current status of this plant species on the basis of conservation point of view, the study was conducted by CSIR - Institute of Himalayan Bioresource technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India during 2014 to 2016. More than 40 surveys were conducted in various parts of Indian North-East as well as North-West. Himalayan regions (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and West Bengal, which are Himalayan states of India). During surveys, GPS coordinates of the locations of occurrence of V. jatamansi were recorded and the soil samples were also collected from those sites for soil analysis in the lab. Among the soil parameters the minimum Nitrogen (73.0 kg/ha) was estimated in soils of Kukurgunda and the maximum in Darjeeling (437.53 kg/ha). Phosphorous was identified minimum (5.24 ppm) in Kandi (Mandi) soils. It was maximum (104.30 ppm) in Kalimpong (West Bengal). Potassium was lowest (59.03 ppm) in Bagsyad while it was maximum (262.46 ppm) in Laka wali Mata areas of Himachal Pradesh. It was observed that Valeriana jatamansi species were distributed in fragments. Most of the regions, where it was in abundance and in very good patches, are now disappeared.

KEYWORDS: Valeriana jatamansi, Endangered species

INTRODUCTION:

Valeriana jatamansi is an endangered and high valued aromatic and medicinal plant of India (Mathela et al., 2005). In a separate study carried by our Institute, essential oil yield was estimated, 0.3-0.5 percent in the fresh underground rhizome and roots of its plant materials collected from forests of Himachal Pradesh, India. These essential oils are of commercial importance and used in world trade. Some investigators have reported its produce as valepotriates, having therapeutic and tranquilizing properties (Bos et al., 1998a). These valepotriates was reported to be very effective in leprosy treatment (Kour et al., 1999). It has cytotoxic and anti cancerous properties (Bounthanh et al., 1981) and also has high demand in perfumery and pharmaceutical industries (Singh et al., 2010).

V. jatamansi is harvested from its natural habitat from Western Himalaya as well as North Eastern Himalaya from different...

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