Journal of Biodiversity and Ecological Sciences No.1, Issue4 © ISSN: 2008-9287 (JBES ) Fall 2011 JBES Orginal Article Prosopis cineraria (L) Druce: A life line tree species of the Thar Desert in danger Received Date:May/12/2011 Accepted Date:Nov/09/2011 P.Chaudhry1* Abstract Prosopis cineraria is a very significant tree of the Thar Desert of India, contributing to ecological stability of the region and providing extensive support to human beings, livestock and the nutrient deficient soils. Since last one decade, problem of drying and mortality of this species has been noticed in some parts of 1-*State Forest Research Institute the desert. Factors responsible for this drying phenomenon and research efforts undertaken by Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, India for various aspects Chimpu, Van Vihar, Itanagar,India related to the species has been discussed in the paper. [email protected] Keywords: Khejari, Agroforestry, Fodder, Lopping, AFRI INTRODUCTION Thar Desert of India, also known as Great Indian HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Desert, is considered to be seventh largest desert In 1730 A.D, this tree came in to limelight when a of the world having area of about two lakh square brave lady (Amrita Devi) from Bishnoi clan of kilometers. In India, more than sixty percent of local Marwar region sacrificed her life along with this desert lies in the state of Rajasthan. The life her three daughters and 363 people for the sake of support systems in this region are constrained by P.cineraria trees. Soldiers of the then local ruler, bioclimatic and environmental limitations: low Maharaja Abhay Singh, wanted to cut Khejari precipitation (100-400 mm, mean annual rainfall) trees for the construction of their king’s palace. high pre-monsoon temperatures (mean maximum But the persons of Bishnoi clan under the of the hottest month: 45-47o C), high wind speed leadership of Amrita Devi hugged the trees and (average annual 8-10 km/h with figures up to 30- faced axes of soldiers. After the incident, the ruler 40 km/h in summers), high potential evapo- called back the soldiers and realized his mistake. transpiration with an annual total of 1500 to 2000 At present, an annual fair in the memory of the mm [1]. These conditions are most reminiscent of 363 killed people, is held every year in the village the Sahel of Africa [2]. Soils are generally sandy Khejarli, where the massacre took place in 1730 to sandy loam in texture with poor nutrient status A.D. and low water holding capacity. Important tree species of the region inclue Acacia senegal, A. BRIEF DESCRIPTION ABOUT SPECIES nilotica, A. tortilis, A. leucophloea, Azadirachta Khejari is a medium sized tree, called the king indica, Salvadora persica, S. oleoides, Prosopis tree of Great Indian Desert because of the role cineraria, Tecomella undulata, Zizyphus species played by it in conserving the ecosystem of arid and Tamarix aphyla. In the backdrop of scanty and semi-arid region of the desert. It is a frost and vegetation scenario, all the tree species are drought resistant tree which can withstand important in this region. But Prosopis cineraria temperature extremes, ranging from 45-48 degrees (locally called Khejari) stands tall among all other Celsius in the summer to less than 10 degrees tree species because of its multiple benefits and Celsius in the winter. The tree is worshipped by a uses in the fragile desert ecosystem. large number of people, mostly Bishnois, a great environmentalist community in the Thar Desert. Journal of Biodiversity and Ecological Sciences JBES IAU of Tonekabon Branch Tonekabon, Iran [email protected] P.Chaudhry et al Vol.1, Issue 4 The importance of the medicinal value of this tree (2007) from AFRI found that overall productivity has been highlighted in ancient Ayurvedic of agricultural land and benefits increased when (medical) literature. Wood is very high in energy this tree species was grown with Mung bean value of about 5000 kcal/kg. An unlopped 30-35 (Vigna radiata) and Pearl millet. The yield of the years old tree produces about 4-5 kg of air dried annual agricultural crop increased when density of pods in normal rainfall year, obtained during P.cineraria was appropriate or optimum. Another May-June months. Pods are brown to chocolate in study related to assessment of ‘Comparative colour on ripening and have a sweetish pulp. productivity of P.cineraria and Tecomella Unripe pods are also used as vegetable and after undulata based agroforestry systems in degraded boiling can be stored for lean periods. Boiled and lands of Thar Desert’ was conducted by the dried pods are the important constituents of this institute and Singh (2009) found P.cineraria more region’s famous dishes “Trikuta” and beneficial than T.undulata in improving soil “Panchkuta”. conditions and increasing crop yield by 11.1 %. Thus this species was found more suitable for its DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION integration in agricultural land. Arid Forest Research Institute (AFRI), Jodhpur is Prosopis cineraria is extensively lopped for an institute working in the field of forestry fodder by farmers in the arid and semi arid areas research, education and extension under the of Rajasthan state of India. Generally, complete umbrella of Indian Council of Forestry Research lopping is practiced in the months of October- and Education (ICFRE), in the Thar Desert. The November. The collected dry fodder is locally institute has undertaken number of research called ‘loong’ and its annual production is around projects related to this species in the past. 1 to 1.5 tonnes per mature tree in a good rainfall Important studies are related to agroforestry year (Figure-2). The effect of different lopping systems, lopping regime, crude protein estimation, intensities on the growth and fodder yield of this and causes of mortality of this important species species was studied by the scientists of AFRI. It in some districts of Thar region. Agricultural crop was found that lopping does not significantly production in arid regions is very insecure due to affect the height of the tree. It was determined that variable and harsh climatic conditions. complete lopping of the tree was detrimental in Agroforestry is one of the options and insurance nature for better diameter growth. The study against drought in such scenario. In this region, suggested to lop the trees moderately agroforestry systems include agrisilviculture, (approximately 2/3 of the crown length) and with agrisilvopastoral, multipurpose tree systems and a gap of one year between successive lopping for agrihorticulture (Figure-1). In the drier parts of better fodder yield on a sustained basis (Kumar Rajasthan, mostly in Jaisalmer district, and Tewari, 2000). agroforestry systems with P.cineraria and Droughts and famines are recurring Z.nummularia have been developed in features of Thar Desert of Indian arid zone. Local combination with run off farming practices under population uses a number of wild plants as the name of Khadin farming. In this system, rain emergency food for its survival. Scientists from water is collected on an uncultivated catchment AFRI analyzed crude protein content in the bark area where it is kept to percolate through small of this species for the first time as 23.1 % banks [1]. In other parts of Indian arid zone, (Rathore and Meena, 2004). This bark is a rich P.cineraria, T.undulata and Acacia nilotica are the source of protein and is frequently mixed with most preferred tree species of agricultural land. wheat/pearl millet flour for food and consumption Depending upon rainfall, the approximate surface by human beings in the times of severe famines. area of the main agroforestry models prevalent in Besides bark, seeds and leaves of P.cineraria are the region is shown in Table1. Researchers reported to contain 35.8 % and 23.2 % crude studied long term effect of P.cineraria on the soil protein respectively (Rathore and Meena, 2004). nutrient status [3]. They found a significant Since last one decade, the Khejari trees in increase in organic matter, total N, P & K and some districts of arid region i.e. Churu, Nagaur, more than two times higher dry matter yield of Sikar and Jhunjhunu started drying (Figure-3). Pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides) in fields with Scientists from AFRI started investigations and Khejari soil over non-Khejari soil. Kumar et al found that the devastating problem of Khejari (1992) also recorded higher returns from Pearl mortality has become severe with the cumulative millet (Pennisetum typhoides), Cluster bean effects of indiscriminate and successive lopping (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus) and Cowpea (Vigna followed by a secondary infestation of four sinensis) in association with Khejari. Singh et al species of insect borers, viz., Acanthophorus 290 Journal of Biodiversity and Ecological Sciences Fall 2011 Prosopis cineraria (L) Druce: A life line tree species serraticornis (root borer), Aeolesthes holoserecea, factor for protecting this miracle tree species of Derolus iranensis and Hypoeschrus indicus (shoot Thar Desert. Extension departments of borers). The A. serraaticornis, the rare giant long- Agriculture & Forestry research institutes and horned beetle of Rajasthan, is considered to be the Agriculture department of the state have to play a largest insect, with a maximum known body leading role in disseminating research findings length of 16 centimeters (Figure-4). The larvae of related to this species to the masses. this pest severely damage the root system of the Khejari trees. The scientists of AFRI also noted ACKNOWLEDGMENT presence of six highly infective species of Fungi Author thanks various scientists of the Arid Forest imperfactii viz., Alternaria alternata, Colletitricum Research Institute, Jodhpur and Central Arid Zone sp, Fusarium sp, Ganoderma lucidum, Phoma sp Research Institute, Jodhpur, India for their helpful and Botryodiplodia theobromae which cause the comments/discussions on the development of the die-back disease in mature trees as a result of paper.