International Journal of Research in Advent Technology, Vol.7, No.4, April 2019 E-ISSN: 2321-9637 Available online at www.ijrat.org Documentation Of Succulents From Agriculture Farm Of Dehgam Area, Gujarat Mrunali Kolhe1, Shirin Qureshi2, Archana Mankad3, Hitesh Solanki4 1M.Sc. student, 2Research Scholar, 3,4Professor 1,2,3,4Department of Botany, Bioinformatics, Climate Change Impacts Management, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad-9. Email id: [email protected] Abstract:Succulents are plants that consume some portions that are more than generally condensed and fleshy, usuallyretain water in arid climates or soil. The word “Succulent” comes from the Latin word „Sucus‟ meaning juice or sap. Most of Succulents are native to dry, arid regions such as a desert.Succulents are very interesting group of plants that are found in its natural environment. Mostly in South Africa,succulents are also called xerophytes but not all are xerophytes. The Succulent leaf is highly specialized when the stem is inattentive, leaves grown are hidden in the soil for reducing water loss. Stem succulents belongto cactus family. Succulents stem have leaves which are reduced in size. Root Succulents are associated with annual stems that desiccate duringdry season. We visited Poonam agriculture farm, Ahmedabad, Gujarat in India in year 2018-2019 for 3 months. We saw 296 species of succulents in the field and out of them, we studied 13 genera having above characters which are: Agave, Aloe, Alludia, Crassula, Caralluma, Dyckia, Didierea, Euphorbia, Gasteria, Haworthia, Kalanchoe, Sansevieria, Senecio.From the above study, we conclude that this farm is one of the diverse regions for succulents and cacti found in Gujarat. Keywords: Succulent, Xerophytes, Dry, Gujarat. 1. INTRODUCTION organ allows the plant to survive for long “Succulents are plants that consume some time. This organ contains water and portions that are more than generally condensed nutrients. and fleshy, usually to retain water in arid climates 4) Bulbous: Bulbous is a storage organ. It is or soil”. The word “Succulent” comes from the globular with fleshy leaves that store food Latin word Sucus, meaning juice or sap. Most of &water. It is globular in shape. It is succulents are native to dry, arid regionssuch as a difficult to grow during summer because desert. vines dry up completely, plant gets spots Succulents are very interesting group of plants that during spring (Dortort,2011). are found in its natural environment, mostly in South Africa. Succulents are also called xerophytes 3. HABITAT OF SUCCULENTS: but not all are xerophytes. The Succulent leaves are The habitat of Succulents are diverse, overall the highly specialized when the stem is inattentive five contains that have concentrations between leaves grown hidden in the soil for reducing water 30‟N and 30‟S latitudes among all the largest loss. Stem succulents belong to cactus family. inSouth Africa and Sub-Tropical America. South Succulent stem has leaves which are reduced in Africa is said as the natural home for the widest size. Root Succulent is associated with annual range of other Succulents. Human interventions stems that desiccate during the dry season have made it difficult to decide the exact native (Anderson, 2006) habitat of a species, even less genus (Bewli,2016). 2. THE SUCCULENTSCLASSIFIED ARE 4. DISTRIBUTION: DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN PARTS OF South Africa and subtropical North and South PLANT. America would score highest for numbers of 1) Leaf Succulents: Leaf succulent plants speciesas well as for density populations. America are that store water inside their leaves so is the home of the cactaceae family and the Century that they become fleshy. plants (Agave), Various Crassulaceae 2) Stem Succulents: Stem Succulents plants (Echeverioideae), somePortulacaceae. have thick fleshy stem that store water in Euphorbiaceae and others. South Africa is the their tissue. The reduction of leaves is not home of the widest range of all Succulents. a prerequisite for stem succulents as many Crassulaceae is distributed in Tillaea stem. Succulents maintain large leaves (Anderson,2006). during the growing season. 3) Caudiciformis:Caudiciformis are plants 5. PROPAGATION: that evolve water storage organ which is The main two techniques are Succulents for either underground or overground. This propagation. 71 International Journal of Research in Advent Technology, Vol.7, No.4, April 2019 E-ISSN: 2321-9637 Available online at www.ijrat.org 1) Seed Propagation: growth especially when Succulents grow in Not only for succulents but for other greenhouse. plants, one cannot get a real pleasure in Soil: Soil is important component for the Succulent growing plants or succulents without the growth. Succulent need well drained dry soil. Soil use of seeds. is very important because they provide nutrients. Soil made by mixture of sand, soil, fertilizer & 2) Vegetative Propagation. peat. Soil pH is to be maintained. Succulent growth Almost all the succulents lend is well seen in slightly acidic soil. themselves vegetative multiplication by Planting: Planting can occurin almost any pot,if division, offsets, suckers, cuttings & allowed enough room to cater for the roots of the grafting. plants and sufficient repotting is only ever required when the roots start to burst out from the base of 5.1 Cutting: the pot or become obvious on the surface of the soil Some of the matured twigs are to be separated by (Dortort,2011). horizontal cut and dried, for the less of moisture to Experimental site:We worked on Succulents in some extent, sometimes a root promoter is used for 2018-2019 for 3 months. We visited Poonam advantage. The time of preparing cutting depends Agriculture Farm, Ahmedabad, Gujarat in India. on the type of plant. The total area of the farm is 15 acres. The farm 5.2 Cutting Propagation: environment was dry.There were three greenhouses While seed propagation is relatively easy, most present in the farm. In the first greenhouse, the gardeners have better success with growing from covered area was 20 to 30 square meter and other cuttings. two greenhouses were covered with small area in 5.3 Leaf Cutting: the farm. Small two greenhouses in the farm were Propagation by leaf cutting is also useful method totally covered with the white 50% shaded film that practically for Succulents other than cacti. Some of is the UV stabilizedpolythene film. Mostly the Succulents are propagated from leaf cuttings Succulents- all the species were in small two are Kalanchoe, Sedum, Gasteria. greenhouses. In these greenhouses, there are 5.4 Grafting: different beds for plantation of Succulents. It is another method of propagation that involves the union of plant part to be multiplied that is 7. DOCUMENTATION OF SUCCULENTS termed as scion with another rooted part called In the greenhouse mostly around 296 species of stock (Dortrot,2011). Succulents were observed. Cactiiwere also present in the greenhouses but as compared to 6. CULTIVATION OF SUCCULENTS: cactus,Succulents were less. Out of 296,we Location:The combination of water, soil, and light studied13 genera of succulents. The documentation should be according to the specific area where the of Succulents was done by describing the following plant is grown. The basic cultural recommendation characteristics in detail as: Habitat, Plant body, given from the environment of Ahmedabad, Flowers, and Propagation. Gujarat in India, is that it is an area of high Agave (Linnaeus): Agave is native to Mexico in temperature infrequent moderate winter and North America. It has approximately 200 species in summer days with temperature above 42°C-45°C. the family Asparagaceae. It is a rosette form Water: Watering succulent plants is one of the ofsucculent. Leaves are leathery and 2.5 meter in riskiest parts of growing them. Succulents are length, depend on the species. Mostly, species have geniuses of nature that store extra water in their their own terminal spine. The flowers are clusters leaves, stem, or root. Because they have the are borne at the top of a very robust flowering reputation for growing in arid situations, many stem. people fail to understand that when we transport Aloe (Linnaeus): The Aloe grows wild in tropical them into our home and garden atmospheres, they and sub-tropical lands. They need dry atmosphere. do need to be watered regularly. The Succulent leaf of the Aloe is an adaptation to Climate:Succulents need full sun position and they the dry condition. The plant is stem-less or very grow in temperature like hot climate, others are short-stemmed with an average about 20 leaves in a very sensitive to cold in cool season.For the straight, dense rosette. The leaves can grow up to Succulents, winter is a dormant season and summer 40-50 cm long and 6-7 cm wide. The plants will is growing season. bloomafter at least 4 years of age. Temperature: Temperature is an important Alludia: This genus forms part of the thorn-shrub component for the succulents. Succulents need forest in Madagascar. Most species of Alludia have colder temperatures at night below 30°C and in the a juvenile growth form of a branched shrub a few day, they need full sunny position, temperature meters, eventually forming a single-trunked tree, between 40°C to 45°C.Difference between night branching well above the ground. They will not and day temperature is most important for the plant tolerate prolonged frost but make excellent full-sun 72 International Journal of Research in Advent Technology, Vol.7, No.4, April 2019 E-ISSN: 2321-9637 Available online at www.ijrat.org patio plants, until they grow too large to be moved found from the central to the Southern ridge and indoors. Most are easily propagated from cuttings; hills of the Drakensberg. Kalanchoe are grown up they are not often grown from seed as it is rarely to 12‟ inch in height they prefer full sunlight for the available (Anderson, 2006; Dortort,2011).