Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 10 (1), January 20011, pp. 146-155

Kair ( decidua ): A potential ethnobotanical weather predictor and livelihood security of the arid zone of and Gujarat

Dheeraj Singh 1 & Ranjay K Singh 2* 1Krishi Vigyan Kendra, CAZRI, Pali-Marwar 306 401, Rajasthan; 2Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132 001, Haryana E-mail: [email protected]

Received 20.12.2010; revised 11.01.2011

Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew. commonly known as Kair, is an important indigenous shrub found growing along farm boundaries, orans, gochars (local grasslands) and wastelands, widely distributed in arid and semi-arid tracts of . It is a densely branched shrub, reaching a height of 4-5 m, with a clear bole of 2.5 m. Its branches are tender and waxy with rough, corky, gray bark. Kair has the ability to survive in various and can grow unattended and unprotected on barren lands. It has good soil binding capacity, a fair tolerance to salinity and alkalinity, and can help to improve the fertility of sand dunes and reduce alkalinity. Its xerophytic qualities, including a deep taproot system, scanty foliage, mucilaginous sap and tough conical spines make this shrub suitable for cultivation on a large scale, especially to combat soil and wind erosion on sandy wastelands. Significantly, the ’s unique capacity to tolerate drought and heat make it a good weather forecasting , and it has played an important role in the rural economy of western Rajasthan and Gujarat. It provides people with food (pickle and vegetable), medicine, fodder, wood for carving, and fuel. The plant’s mature fruits serve as valuable and integral source of nutrition for villagers of arid and semiarid regions, and the immature fruits are collected from natural stands and serve an additional source of income and nutrition for the rural poor. Medicinally, it is used to treat in cardiac and gastric troubles. It is also commonly used as a biofence and its termite-resistant wood is used by rural people for making handles, cartwheels, and other items.

Keywords: Kair , , Economic desert shrub, Traditional food, Traditional medicine IPC Int. Cl.8 : A47G 19/26; A23K; A01D 14/09; A01D 14/10; A01D 7/12

The Capparis comprises approximately 250 sandy desert areas where little else grows. As an species, including , and woody climbers. estimate, kair is distributed over 3,540 km 2 piedmont About 234 species of Capparis are listed in Index plains in Bikaner and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan, Kewensis 1. Reportedly, 26 species of this genus occur with an estimated annual production of 7,000 tonnes in India 2. Here, Capparis species are elements of the of fruits 3. Kair can be found at the altitude range from mixed xeromorhic woodland and psammophytic scrub 300-1,200 m with mean annual rainfall of 100-750 vegetation. Capparis decidua is one of the important mm and mean annual temperature of 25-41ºC. It multipurpose woody species of desert and arid regions prefers alkaline, sandy and gravel soils, thriving on of the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Saudi Arabia. shallow, hard soils and rocky outcrops. In India, kair Found in several states, is locally referred as Kair in can be found in the dry regions. Although it is well Rajasthan, Karil in Uttar Pradesh, Ker in Gujarat, suited to areas with low rainfall (150 mm), kair can Teent in Haryana, Della in Delhi and Punjab and survive in areas with rainfall as high as 600 mm. Nepti in western Maharashtra. Its natural is C. decidua grows well on soils with lower sodicity pediment plains all over the dry regions. It is an (pH <9, ESP <35, EC 4 dS/m) important constituent of desert ecosystems and plays a Kair usually grows in dry, exposed habitats such as significant role in the rural economy of peoples of the foothills and wastelands. It grows in very shallow northwest arid regions of the Indian sub-continent. soils, soils affected by saline irrigation water, or in The natives of the recognized the stabilized sand dunes. Kair grows in association with importance of this shrub long ago. It is an extremely Anogeissus pendula Edgew., Calotropis procera , hardy species and provides vegetative cover in hot, Maytemus emarginatus , Zizyiphus nummularia , —————— *Corresponding author oleoides , cineraria , etc. SINGH & SINGH: KAIR : A POTENTIAL WEATHER PREDICTOR OF THE ARID ZONE 147

Methodology October and January-March – which can be referred The study, to assess the role of kair as a weather as summer foliation, pre-winter foliation and winter indicator and local economic plant of the arid zone of foliation, respectively. As reproduction is a high Rajasthan, was conducted in 20 villages of the Pali energy consuming activity, it is possible that leaves district. Participant observations were also taken from supplement the plant’s food requirement and help to three districts of Gujarat, Kheda, Surender Nagar, and generate better food reserves. A close view at Bhavnagar. From each district 2 villages (total 6) the metrological data of Pali during last five years were selected randomly. From each village 10 elder (Table 1) shows that there was a sharp rise in members (total 60) were further randomly identified temperature, for both day and night temperatures, and for interviewing. Two hundred farmers from 20 this was very high in the year 2009. There was also a villages of the district were also selected on random decline in the total rainfall (157.5 mm) in 2009, sampling basis for interviewing. Thus, the total indicating it to be a drought year. Consequently, there number of research participant from the two states was a sharp decline in the water table as well, and was 260. An interview schedule was formulated to almost all the field crops failed. The results indicate a study the demographic information on foliation, common local belief that kair performs best under flowering and fruiting of kair in selected locations. water stress conditions when the temperature is very The primary data were collected through a personal high. Almost 100% of the interviewees stated that interview schedule (with open-ended questions) and kair and kachri (Cucumis melo var. agrestis) are the secondary data on meteorological parameters were only two climate change indicators in the arid zone. taken from the regional research station of the Central Kair will be fully laden with flowers and fruits if Arid Zone Research Institute from Pali station. At that there are drought and high temperatures, whereas in same time that interviewing was taking place, focus the case of a good monsoon, it bears only average group discussions (FGD) were organized in each flowers and fruits. Water stress and environmental village of both states, specifically for generating a factors also are likely to affect the foliation patterns of general consensus on the changing patterns of use and kair . For example, in 2009, the severe drought year, availability of kair . Relevant information was also pre-winter foliation started early and most of the collected from secondary sources, including research started producing leaves in mid September and review papers, to supplement the interview and instead of October. The severe stress conditions seem focus group data and to document different biological to have led to the early foliation. Further, no cases of and cultural aspects of kair . continued foliation from September-October onwards could be observed, in contrast to the situation in other Results and discussion years where a few plants showed this type of foliation Capparis decidua is a small much-branched or pattern. There is vast variation for this trait between tall shrub, growing 4-5 m high. The leaves are small, plants of this species within a season and within the linear-oblong, acute, spinous-pointed, and very minute, same plant during different years. However, it is not with a very short life span on young shoots, so that the possible to infer the overall contribution of leaves to plant looks leafless most of the time (Fig. 1). Flowers photosynthesis, as the stem and branches are also are pink, with red-veined petals, in small clusters green and some photosynthetic activity must be along the leafless shoots, borne in the axils of the occurring even in the absence of leaves. The leaves spines in many-flowered corymbs, from the old are more of a reflection of moisture availability in the branches, or from short lateral shoots; pedicels deeper soil layers and tend to normally appear a slender, about 12 mm. long (Figs. 2 & 3) During month or so before flowering. initial months a single tap is developed and at the Table 1- Weather conditions of Pali district during last five years 6-month stage it starts developing few secondary 0 . At the 12-month stage, a number of secondary S. No Year Temperature ( C) Avg. RH Total (%) Rainfall branches develop even though the tap roots continue Mean Mean Average to dominate. The roots of mature plants can penetrate Max. Min. (mm) up to about 4 meters. 1. 2005 34.2 19.4 26.8 48.1 645.6 2. 2006 34.4 19.8 26.1 46.0 473.2 Phenology 3. 2007 34.0 19.6 26.8 49.2 602.7 Foliation in C. decidua populations occurs up to 4. 2008 33.8 19.2 26.5 49.6 469.8 three times in a year–during the months of June-July, 5. 2009 35.0 20.5 27.8 47.1 157.5 148 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE VOL 10, JANUARY 2011

Reproductive Biology during low rains was early during winter in most of As noted previously, flowering occurs at the the plants and late during good rain years. beginning of the dry season and flowering can occur in three seasons; February to March ( Ambe Bahar ), Fruiting July to August ( Mrig Bahar ) and October to Green fruiting in summer was observed in March- November ( Hast Bahar ). Flowers appear on both new April in most of the plants. There was a second flush and old shoots, but mostly on one-year-old shoots. of green fruits in May-July (Fig. 8). Phenological Profuse flowering was observed on older shoots, with observations indicate that there are high intra- new shoots bearing fewer flowers. In the Ambe Bahar population variations suggesting high degree of phase (February to March season), flowering was homeostasis in the species. Even though C. decidua observed up to the first week of April, the peak produces leaves, flowers and fruits 2-3 times in a flowering period being from March 20 to March 25 5In year, the peak flowering occurs during the summer some of the trees, flowering continues from March to months and the maximum mature fruits are available November in varying intensities. Flowering takes just before onset of the monsoon. During winter, place during summer as well as winter months. fruits were set in the months of October and Winter flowering generally starts in September- November. Few trees had green fruits in December October, and goes up to November-December. 2008, whereas none of the trees was observed to have Initiation of floral buds in kair was observed in the green fruits in December 2009. It may be observed second fortnight of February (Table 2). Bud that even the trees showing continuous flowering development took 14-15 days; the flower bud at the from March to November-December did not actually inflation stage was greenish white and hairy at the produce fruits continuously. Generally in August- base. The buds became dark brownish red with a tinge September no green fruits were available. Some of the of greenish white at anthesis. The size of the flower trees did not produce fruits at all in winter. Thus, bud increased gradually, throughout the period of different trees produced green fruits once, twice or development 6Flowering was asynchronous and the thrice within a year and patterns within same tree transformation of buds into flowers on a raceme takes were not uniform over years. It seems paradoxical that about six days. There were about 3-4 flowers on a plants should produce flowers and fruits during the raceme. All the floral characters, along with driest period when there is maximum water stress. But asynchronous flowering and foliation at the time a close inspection will reveal that this is an important of flowering, suggest that pollination is by insects adaptation for continuity of the populations. By (Fig. 5). As the blooming takes place in the March- producing flowers about 1-2 months before the rainy June period when hardly any other flowers are season the species ensures that the seeds are already available, visits by large numbers of insects are in the ground when the rainy season begins. The plant expected. Many of these are predators, and some of can afford this behaviour because of its ability to draw the hymenopteran and dipteran insects (bees and flies) moisture from deeper soil layers are pollinators. In some of the trees, the flowering There is wide variation in flowering and continues from March to November in varying subsequent fruiting patterns between plants and intensities. This pattern of flowering was observed in within the same plant over different years. The most trees during drought years. The flower initiation February-March flowering is profuse, producing fruits of up to 20 kg per plant 8. Fruit yield varies between Table 2- Flower bud development in kair 2 and 20 kg per plant depending on age, genetic Day of Average Average Size Colour appearance potential and flowering season. Each fruit contains at observationlength diameter index (Julion) (cm) (cm) (LXD) least five seeds.

70 0.62 0.27 0.167 Greenish white hairy at base 81 0.90 0.36 0.319 Greenish red at top, greenish Natural variability in combating drought white at lower portion Under natural populations, rich genetic diversity 83 1.05 0.43 0.473 Dark brownish red with tinge with a wide range of variability occurs in C. decidua of greenish white in habit, fruit size, colour of fruits, petals, pulp 85 1.30 0.47 0.580 Dark brownish red with tinge content, spiny habit, spreading of branches and of greenish white 87 1.44 0.56 0.806 Dark brownish red with tinge compactness of canopy, and time of flowering and of greenish white fruiting. However, no systematic efforts have been SINGH & SINGH: KAIR : A POTENTIAL WEATHER PREDICTOR OF THE ARID ZONE 149

made so far to collect and conserve plants harvesting is required. Sometimes, harvesting the representing this diversity or to promote the most fruits with twigs attached is also seen but this affects desirable variants. There is a need to identify the plant vigour and subsequent fruiting. suitable types with the view of selecting plants that are heavy yielding, have large fruit size and high Maturity indices pulp content, are rich in protein; of the proper Total Kair comes into fruit after 4-5 yrs of age. The fruits Soluble Solids (TSS), tartness, less acrid, with small are harvested in April-May. The fruits should be and soft seeds, etc. In general two distinct plant harvested when green and tender at the “small ” types of kair occur: a tree form, which is relatively stage for pickling and use as a vegetable. The stage unusual, and a shrub form, in the majority of plants can be judged by the size of the fruits and also by (Fig. 4). It appears that tree form is attained when pressing the berries. It is also suggested that the fruits the plant grows from seed and remains undisturbed. should be harvested 7-10 days after fruit set, when On the other hand, plants exposed to biotic they are 5-8 mm diameter, during March-April, to interference may tend to produce more shoots and fetch a better price in the market 9. After maturity, the also propagate through root suckers. This view is seeds harden and the fruits are not preferred for supported by the fact that C. decidua occurred singly consumption. The fruits of the second flowering, in tree form and mostly in clusters in bush form in available in September- October, are not usually orans and gochars. The plant can also be trained by harvested as the crop load is poor. allowing a single stem to grow, and can be integrated as one of the components in different cropping Post harvest technology models. However, scientific evaluation is needed to The unripe/ripe fruits of kair are generally not assess the relative compatibility and economic eaten fresh due to their acrid taste, but can be viability under different resource situations converted into a variety of by-products after Kair fruits show variability in shape as well as size; processing. The pickles are the most commonly and broadly, the fruits are round or elongated, with a widely utilized post harvest product of kair . The different diameter (Fig. 6). Variability in flower processed fruits can be utilized directly for preparation of pickles or as a vegetable or can be colour in natural stands of C. decidua (Fig. 7) was 10 reported with brick red and yellow coloured flowers 6. dehydrated for off-season utilization . Based on the In the present scenario, where there is no commercial size, three relative grades of processed kair are cultivation of this species, and green fruits are available in the market; big, medium and small size. harvested by the rural people, it is obvious that more In fact, the basis of size grading is the relative fruits will be picked up from the non-spiny open type maturity of fruits. The smaller fruits are more tender shrubs that are earlier fruiting. and of better quality than the bigger fruits. The processed fruits are stored either in pots or in plastic Propagation and management containers while processed dried fruits are stored in flexible polybags. The dried fruits can be stored The tree is over-exploited in some areas. in polybags for a year without any deterioration in Propagation is not a problem as kair can be grown the quality. readily from seeds and root suckers. If it is grown from seed, mature fruits must be collected during Medicinal uses May-June. Sowing is best done during August. After Aside from economic uses, kair is also tapped for six to seven months, the seedlings are ready for its medicinal qualities. The plant has a bad smell and transplanting. This is usually done during early March taste; it is carminative, tonic, emmenagogue, or July-August at the onset of the monsoon season. aphrodisiac, alexipharmac, improves the appetite; good for rheumatism, lumbago, hiccough, cough and Harvesting asthma 19 . When pickled or cooked as vegetables, the Hand picking the fruits is a common practice for immature fruits are used to cure stomach problems, harvesting (Fig. 9). By hand picking, only tender especially constipation. Fruits possess antidiabetic fruits are harvested and mature ones are avoided, activity. The alcoholic extract of fruit pulp and root hence there is no need for further grading of the fruits. bark possesses anthelmintic activity. The extract of Moreover, the plants are spiny in nature, thus careful unripe fruits and shoots of C. decidua produced 150 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE VOL 10, JANUARY 2011

reduction in plasma triglycerides, total lipids and ulcers and boils, vomiting, piles and all phospholipids 20 ; hence used as hypocholesterolemic. inflammations. The alcoholic extract of root bark It appeared to operate through increased fecal possesses significant antibacterial and antifungal excretion of cholesterol as well as bile acids 21 . activities 26,27 . Stem bark, meanwhile, is used for Capparidisine a new alkaloid from C. decidua is rheumatism and toothaches, including pyorrhea. From reported to have dose dependant depressant effect on the root bark, spermidine alkaloids like heart rate and coronary flow 22 . C. decidua powder has isocodonocarpine, capparisine, capparadisine and hypoglycaemic activity, decreases lipid peroxidation capparisinine (isomer of capparidisine) 20,25,28-30 were and alters free radical scavenging enzymes such as isolated. The stem and root bark extracts contain superoxidedismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in isocodonocarpine and other alkaloids that are erythrocytes, liver, kidney and heart in aged alloxan effective in curing the asthama, inflammation, induced diabetic rats. C. decidua powder is used diabetes and cough. The aqueous extracts of roots of against alloxan induced oxidative stress and C. decidua are found to have purgative activity 27 . Two diabetes 23 . The green immature fruits are considered sterols, one diterpene alcohol, two aliphatic good for antihelminthic, laxative, asthma, constipation, constituents and one diterpenic ester were reported coughs, hysteria, worms and other psychological from C. decidua root barks 30 . Root bark is used as problems 24 . The fruits and the seeds of kair are used to anthelmintic and purgative. In the traditional system cure cholera, dysentery, and urinary purulent of medicine, the bark has been shown to be useful in discharges. The fruit has a sharp hot taste astringent to the treatment of coughs, asthma and inflammation; the bowels, destroys foul breath, biliousness and roots used in fever and buds in the treatment of boils. urinary purulent discharges good in cardiac troubles In Unani System of Medicine, leaves act as (Ayurveda ). Dietary fibre content of C. decidua varied appetizer, helps in cardiac troubles, fruits used in from 38.5-55.7%. Hemicellulose in C. decidua given at biliousness; Shoots along with shoots of Peganum 10%of the diet to rats induced a greater resistance to harmala used as anti fertility drug; ground stem and hyperlipaemia than cellulose and has most pronounced leaves used in alveolaris and pyorrhoea; wood coal is hypocholesterolaemic effect, which operated through used in muscular injuries 31-33 . In Sudan, C. decidua is increased faecal excretion of cholesterol as well as bile used in swellings, jaundice and infection of joints 34 . acids 21 . C. decidua has been reported to have diuretic The plant is found to reveal the presence of a number properties and antidiabetic properties. of alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides and some Also the flower buds and roots are used as renal fatty acids. Ethanolic extract of aerial parts exhibited 35 disinfectants, diuretic, tonic and for arteriosclerosis anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity . and as compresses for the eyes. Flower buds are also Isocodonocarpine was found to be responsible for used as potherbs. The alcoholic extract of flowers, anti-inflammatory activity and anti asthmatic 30 fruit husks and seeds show anti-bacterial potentials. activity . Antibacterial activity of the seeds indicates Flowers contain the hydrocarbons Nonacosane and isothiocyanate aglycon had good antibacterial 36 Triacontane. , the flower buds of C. decidua activity . It was found to inhibit cell cultures of are pickled and used as condiment. Members of the Vibrio cholerae Agave, V. cholera Inaba and V. 37 amily contain thioglucosides (glucosinolates) which cholera Eltor . release isothiocyanates (mustard oils) when the plants are damaged. Typically,the plants yield methyl Livelihood dynamics around Kair isothiocyanate from methyl glucosinolate Kair is of much use in climate prediction and (glucocapparin). Flowers and fruit husk contain features in farmers’ strategies in natural resources phthalic acid 25 . The young shoots of Peganum production and management and agricultural hurmala and kair can be combined as an antifertility planning. The local farmers of Surender Nagar, drug. The oil from the seeds contains nitrogen and Kheda, Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad of Gujarat state sulphur. This is used to cure skin diseases. The bark is that they use kair (locally called kerda ) in predicting also used in liver affections. Infusion of stem and root the weather, namely temperature and rainfall. Apart bark is used for diarrhoa and febrifuge. Bark has an from the immense use of kerda in making local acrid, hot taste, analgesic, diaphoretic, akheteric, pickle, the farmers consider that if blooming in kerda laxative, antihelminthic, good for cough and asthma, is greater and flowers are deep pink, then the SINGH & SINGH: KAIR : A POTENTIAL WEATHER PREDICTOR OF THE ARID ZONE 151

temperature is more than 45 oC and the rainfall will be Fuel less than normal. Based on the observations of the Kair is used for charcoal and firewood in its native numbers of flowers and fruits and the canopy of range. Quantitative analysis of fuel wood properties kerda , the farmers select their crop varieties and like calorific value, density silica, carbon, ash- cropping systems for the following rainy season. The biomass ratio, moisture, volatile matter and fuel wood kerda pickle is made by poor local farmers and sold in index of C. decidua revealed its best fuel wood local markets to generate income. It is also used in characters 17 . ethnomedicine, including treating stomach disorders and skin diseases, for both humans and animals. Timber The wood is light yellow to pale brown, smooth, Food moderately hard and heavy. Each plant yields 625-775 3 18 The flower buds and immature green fruits of kair kg/m of wood . Aside from the fruits and the seeds, are pickled, cooked and consumed as vegetables ,11,12 . kair ’s wood also serves varied uses. The wood is very One kg of fresh fruit yields about 200 gm of hard and used to make water pipes and water troughs. processed, dried fruit. The fruits are rich in protein It provides hard, heavy, termite resistant/timber. The (8.6%) and Vitamin C (7.8 mg/ 100 gm of pulp by wood’s strength and durability also makes it suitable weight). As the fruits mature, the amount of sugar for making small beams, rafts, knees of boats, tool increases from 1.7-3.0% 13 . The unripe fruit is pickled handles, cartwheels, axles, and even combs. It is also and has good commercial value. Fruit production used for making huts and fences. And estimation of increases as the plants get older. A 5-7-yrs-old bush herbage production under a canopy cover of C. decidua of kair gives about 1-2 kg of green tender fruits. was greater as compared to that in open field and thus Though there is high variation in fruit yield and kair is a suitable species for use as a woody component sometimes the old kair tree yield as high as 6-8 kg in silvipastoral systems. fruit per tree. Additional income may be derived from the wood as building materials and fuel wood. These Oil benefits make kair ’s cultivation both economically The seeds of C. decidua contain up to 20.3% t high rewarding and environmentally sustainable. The fruits quality oil, which is edible when processed. This oil are also cooked as vegetables with the fruits of consists of 68.6% unsaturated fatty acids and 31.4% (sangri ) and seeds of Acacia saturated fatty acids. senegal (Kumat ). Ripened fruits are eaten by locals. Young green fruits are an important ingredient of the Services famous Panch koot mixtures of dry vegetables of Rajasthan that includes kair fruits, kumat seeds, dry Erosion control kachri ( Cucumis melo ), sangri (Prosopis cineraria ) Though natural catastrophes, overgrazing and over and kamal dandi (lotus roots) 14 . The air-dried utilization have threatened genetic resources for a processed and air-dried immature fruits are delicious long period of time, the fast pace of human and very expensive. intervention in natural ecosystems poses a growing threat. The need is thus to understand and practice the Fodder conservation of desert resources with the involvement The fruit is relished by and by goats. The of traditional desert dwellers and their indigenous fruits are also consumed by people in the Sudan. technical knowledge (ITK), thereby promoting a Fruits are rich in carbohydrates (63.06 ± 4.20%) and conservation ethic and retaining traditional cultural protein (23.34 ± 4.38%) with high amount of values. Capparis decidua can be used in landscape potassium (3.23 ± 0.13%) 15 . Its browse value is gardening, afforestation and reforestation in semi- probably its most important asset, despite being low desert and desert areas; it helps prevent soil erosion, in nutritional value. In Sudan for instance, it is a particularly in controlling wind erosion in sandy major source of food as it can be eaten when areas, as well as reduction of alkalinity and increase little else is available. Green or dried leaves of in organic carbon and available N, P and K. It is C. decidua are used as diet supplement for goats, found to be the best species for shelterbelts to check sheep, camels and other animals during periods of the movement of sand and its morphometry plays an grass scarcity 16 . important role in sand dune stabilisation in the Thar 152 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE VOL 10, JANUARY 2011

Desert of India 38 . Kair can also improve the fertility conservation are unique and have strengthened the life of sand dunes and has the tendency to reduce support systems of the area for facing the challenges alkalinity very sharply 13 . Moreover, a kair plantation of inhospitable hot deserts (Fig. 12). can reportedly increase organic carbon up to 10 times within a period of 20 yrs. Conclusion Reforestation is the restocking of existing forests Kair has proven to be an economically important and woodlands which have been depleted.Leaves plant in Rajasthan and elsewhere. It provides varied from trees emit oxygen as well as absorb carbon food and medicinal uses, building materials, fuel dioxide and other pollutants from our atmosphere. wood, and other income-generating opportunities. It The demand of reforestation is increasing both for contributes to environmental sustainability due to its soil-binding capacity and its ability to improve the quality of human life reasons, biosphere support. soil fertility of sand dunes and to reduce soil Shade or Shelter alkalinity. Extensive research and support activities One of its preferred uses in the Sudan is as a shade are thus needed to maximize the production, and shelterbelt tree 18 . As it is drought resistant and propagation, and utilization of this species to help withstands neglect, the species can be particularly contribute to rural livelihood and enhancement of useful in arid areas as a live hedge, also providing desert lands. Some of these research and support edible fruits 39. In India, during the hot, dry period, activities include the following: establishment of a cattle and buffaloes prefer to lie under kair due to the germplasm bank for seeds or suckers of kair from the plant’s cooling effect and dense shady-producing different regions of India to conserve the plant’s canopy (Fig. 10). genetic variability; development and promotion of intensive cultivation practices for the sustainable Religious value production and utilization of kair ; development of Kair is often found associated with religious rituals methods for cloning of selected germplasms through of the local populations of the Thar Desert. It vegetative means, as the seed-raised plants are not can easily be seen growing near or around temples necessarily true-to-type, and promote the value of the (Fig. 11) and other religious places. It is a custom for plant widely, while stressing the need for its newly married couples and the newly born child to conservation. offer prayers in front of a kair plant. This plant is also This tree is over-exploited. There is wide genetic associated with graves and crematoriums as it is variability in the field population of Capparis considered holy. decidua as it is open pollinated. The seeds have short period viability and propagation of this plant through Biodiversity conservation/ Ecosystem seeds is poor. Vegetative propagation through stem Over a large part of Rajasthan, agriculture is a cutting is, however, reportedly difficult and needs struggle against inhospitable nature. About one third more research. At present, the immature fruits of the state is stark desert – the Thar , which represents continue to have high economic value. Hence, they the harshest agricultural environment of India. are often harvested and sold at high prices. This Conservatism, in regards to agricultural practices and practice puts seed production and propagation of utilization of agricultural produce, is deeply ingrained kair at risk . Poor or lack of seed production in the cultivators of the Thar Desert and is the continues to be the major cause for kair ’s declining outcome of losing everything year in and year out. In population. In fact, the plant has even been listed as a bid to grow, multiply and utilize every blade of one of the endangered species in India 41 . It is also grass available, the desert dwellers have developed suppressed by , which regenerates innovative means of sowing, managing, harvesting faster and grows aggressively, but unlike kair , and utilizing the agro-biodiversity around them. In cannot be used as fodder. Hence, Prosopis juliflora fact, their livelihoods and lives revolve around the is seriously threatening the survival of Capparis genetic wealth, which they use extensively and decidua and other indigenous species. If proper resolutely 40 . Traditionally, they have been very selection is made from available variability, conscious of conservation and have promoted C. decidua can make an excellent crop for extreme multiplication and regeneration of plants even when arid zone of Rajasthan and Gujarat states where a utilizing them. Some of the practices of biodiversity few species can survive and can be domesticated. SINGH & SINGH: KAIR : A POTENTIAL WEATHER PREDICTOR OF THE ARID ZONE 153

Figs. 1-7 Kair in full bloom during extreme hot season, 2 Kair inflorescence, 3 Flowers of Kair , 4 Variability in tree type in Kair , 5 Ants involved in pollination in Kair , 6 Variability in fruit shape and size, 7 Variation in flower colour of Kair 154 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE VOL 10, JANUARY 2011

Figs. 8-12 Fruiting in Kair , 9 Harvesting of kair , 10 Biodiversity conservation by Kair , 11 Kair growing at sacred place, 12 Animals resting under Kair

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