Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Germination and Early Growth Status of Threatened Medicinal Tree Species Oroxylum indicum (Linn.) Vent. In District Meerut, (U.P.) India Yashwant Rai* & Sudhir Kumar Sharma Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, G.D.C. College Bahal. Haryana, INDIA Assistant Professor Department of Biotechnology, Meerut College Meerut, U.P. INDIA Abstract: Oroxylum indicum is a highly valued resources (Nayar and Sastry, 1987). Clearance of species for the humans, environment and forestry. forest for agriculture, mining, urban and industrial The species is found in some parts of India but now development all contribute to the loss of forests and it is threatened species many areas of the country. tree species in the wild. Management activities Hence, there is an urgent need for conservation of within forests, including burning, logging and this species. The present study was carried out in overgrazing also impact on forest structure, District Meerut for the period August 2016 to functions and processes and can additionally October 2016. The matured, seeds of O.indicum contribute to the loss of tree species. Oroxylum were collected from Botany Department Campus, indicum tree is a native tree often grown as an C.C.S. University Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. A total ornamental for its strange appearance; it was 100 seeds were sown in 5 pots containing soil, distributed throughout the country up to an altitude manure 3:1 ratio. The germination starts three of 1200m and found mainly in ravine and moist days after sowing in the month of August. Complete places in the forests (Bennet et al., 1992).Owing to germination within 15 days during the mid of the indiscriminate collection, over exploitation and August 2016.The total germination percentages uprooting of whole plants bearing roots, this were observed 95 % . Germination percentage and valuable tree has become vulnerable in Karnataka Early seedling growth, parameters were recorded and Andhra Pradesh and endangered in Kerala, at August to October (2016). The results indicate Maharastra, M.P. and Chhatisgarh (Darshan and that the status of germination, early growth status Ved, 2003; Jayram and Prasad, 2008) and is feared of O. indicum fairly rapid. I had recorded three to become endangered soon in other states too. The months growth status of O. indicum tree species tree was distributed throughout the great parts of Mean 30.04 cm. in soil of Meerut district. It is India but now it is listed amongst endangered concluded that the aim of the present study is to species in many areas in the country (Zahoor Ahmad spread awareness towards the conservation and Najar and Santosh Agnihotri, 2012). Oroxylum indicum established of the threatened medicinal tree O. is a well-known medicinal tree in Asia, belongs to indicum in various areas of Meerut district. family Bignoniaceae, commonly known as Shivnak, Shyonak, Sonpatha, Bhut tree or mid night horror, possesses economic as well as Key Words: - Oroxylum indicum, Threatened , medicinal importance. The bark of this tree fetches Germination, Conservation, Medicinal plant, around Rs. 18-20/kg ( N.S. Chauhan, 2006) and its Meerut extract fetches a price of Rs. 5,00,000/kg in the international market (M. Gokhale and Y.K. Bansal, INTRODUCTION 2006). The root bark is used as tonic and astringent, which is useful in diarrhoea and dysentery. Young The widespread loss and degradation of native shoots and unripe fruits are eaten as vegetables. forests is now recognised as a global environmental The decoction of the bark is taken for curing gastric crisis. From 2000-2005, global forest area declined ulcer and a paste made of the bark powder is by around 20 million ha/yr (Hansen et al., 2010), applied for mouth cancer, scabies and other skin with undisturbed primary forest declining by an diseases. Stem bark paste of this tree is applied to estimated 4.2 million hectares (or 0.4%) annually cure scabies (N.D. Grampurohit et al., 1994) and to (FAO, 2010). The loss and degradation of forest ecosystems resulting from human activity are major treat arthritis (P. Laupattarakasem et al., 2003). Its causes of global biodiversity loss (UNEP, 2009; bark is reported to be used to cure fevers, gastritis, Vie et al., 2009). India is endowed with rich and hypertension, liver disorders, cancer, killing diverse forest resources. Deforestation has resulted maggots, purative, headache (C.P. Kala, 2005), in a serious damage to biodiversity and gene epilepsy, muscular sprain and general weakness Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1120 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in (A.D. K. khumbongmayum et al., 2005). Oroxylum period August to October 2016 in pots. The indicum is found in China, Taiwan, Cambodia, matured and healthy seeds were collected from India, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia, Botany department C.C.S. University campus Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Meerut Uttar Pradesh during the last week of July Vietnam. It is found up to an altitude of 1200 m 2016. The total 100 seeds were sown in 5 pots mainly in ravines, in damp region and moist places containing soil: manure ratio 3:1. Germination in the forests. In India, it is distributed in the commenced three days after sowing and total 95% Himalayan foothills, Eastern and Western Ghats germination was observed within 15 days in the and North East India. The tree very important role mid of August from date of sowing. early growth for various fields such as Backyard planting; parameters such as germination percentage, Boundary marker; stabilization; Commercial seedlings growth, were recorded at August to planting; Erosion control: Large roadside tree; October 2016. environment management; Shade tree; Specimen tree; urban greening; Wild grafting ( Orwa et al., RESULTS 2009). One-fourth of the plant species listed by the The result shows that the total seeds germinated U.S. Endangered Species Act include 95 % at the mid of August 2016 within 15 days. reintroduction as a component of their recovery Seedlings height Mean was recorded at August to plan (Kramer et al., 2011.) O. indicum only two October 2016. Seedlings length Mean 10.2 cm. tree found in Botany department Campus, C.C.S. and 30.4 cm. at August to September and University Meerut. However, Meerut’s soil is September to October 2016. Respectively more fertile and has a warm subtropical climate and Germination and early growth of all stages of O. becomes very cold and dries in winters from indicum is fairly significant in Meerut District. All December to mid February while it is dry and hot results clear in the Table 1. 2. and figures 1-8. in summers from April to June. During extreme Ramakirshnan 1972, Gomez - Pompa & Vezques- winters, the maximum temperature is around 120 Yanes 1974, Harper &White 1974 reported that the and minimum 30 to 40 Celsius. Summers can be germination and seedling establishment are two quite hot with temperatures rising up to 420 to 440 very critical phase in the life history of tree species Celsius range. O. indicum is perceived as very Composition of Trees Grown Surrounding Water important tree species for local populations, Springs at Two Areas in Purwosari Pasuruan, East forestry, biodiversity and environment Java (Soejono., 2012). Status and Cultivation of management. O. indicum is easily germination Sandalwood in India USDA Forest service (Shobha from seeds, the rate of growth is fairly rapid at N. Ral .,1990). For those of us associated with months August to October 2016 in Meerut. The arboreta and botanical gardens, we are in a position tree is found in some parts of India but it is not to address the challenge of saving the world’s found in some state of country. Hence, there is an threatened tree species. We need to do more than urgent need for conservation threatened tree species just include them in the plant collections of our which is required in Meerut and many other gardens. Effective tree conservation may require a adjacent districts. The present research work finessed combination of different kinds of ex situ consisted in defining conservation and early growth and in situ actions, ecological restoration and plant status of tree species O. indicum. This tree species reintroduction, and socio-economic and regulatory should be carried out, in order to ensure that future considerations to truly secure them from threat generations can benefit from it. which can be used (Sara Oldfield and Adrian C. Newton 2013). for the welfare of the mankind. Most of this According to the Red list of Threatened Plants species’ industrial requirements for production of (UNEP, 1995), 19 species are already extinct and different commodities are met through wild 1236 species are threatened. Of these, threatened collections from forests. Very little effort has been 41 taxa are possibly extinct in the wild, 152 are made to conserve this species. Conservation of this endangered, 102 are vulnerable, 251 are rare, and species has become an immediate need of the 690 are indeterminate (D Ramprasad et al., 2012). country. As a consequence, many tree species are threatened and disappear more and more from their natural ecosystems. The present study focuses on the MATERIAL AND METHODS threatened tree species O. indicum established in Meerut district. The present study was carried out at B – 16, Jwala Nagar, Ambedkar Chowk in District Meerut for the Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1121 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-1, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in TABLE – 1 SEED GERMINATION PERCENTAGE OF OROXYLUM INDICUM 1-15 AUGUST 2016 Days 3 6 9 12 15 Germination (%) _ 30 50 80 95 TABLE 2.