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Tracking the emergence and usage of farmer led innovations (FLIs) in maize ecosystem: A pan India exploration
Full text linkThe study was carried out, by using case study method, to investigate the distinctive characteristics of a few selected farmer-led innovations (FLIs) in maize cropping systems created at the grassroots level across India. A total of five maize-based innovations produced at the grassroots level in various parts of India were purposefully chosen. The originality of these innovations is that they are based on the culture from which they originate and are based on local expertise. This study discovered that all farmer-led innovations generated by farmers were more useful than other existing options since these innovations were built with farmers' needs in mind. Furthermore, these were discovered to be and determined to be sustainable, owing to the fact that these inventions were produced using local resources and wisdom. All five innovations were discovered to be less expensive than alternative market-available technologies. The majority of selected technologies were determined to be profitable, with farmers benefiting after a specified period of hard labor and investment. All of the chosen technologies were discovered to be compatible with the needs of local farmers. The ideas generated by respondents were not commercialized due to several difficulties faced by the farmers to translate the innovations into marketable items, combined with the low demonstrability of these technologies.
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria by tribal communities of Anuppur district, Central India
Full text linkMedicinal plants are abundant sources of bioactive secondary metabolites and play a crucial role in the treatment and management of various diseases. The present research involves the documentation of ethnomedicinal plants used by tribal people residing in the district of Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. To obtain data on ethnomedicinal plants, a semi-structured interview schedule was conducted with the local tribal people, who have engaged in the folk practice and use ethnomedicinal plants to treat malaria disease. The obtained data were analyzed using statistical parameters like Relative Frequency Citation (RFC), Relative Importance Index (RI), Frequency Citation (FC), and Jaccard Coefficient of Similarity (JCS) etc. In the present study, a total of 44 respondents were exclusively interviewed, who revealed information about the medicinal plants used to treat malaria. A total of 24 medicinal plants, belonging to 20 plant families were documented, in this study. In conclusion, the majority of plants used by the tribal communities were used in combination form (24%) rather than a single plant. In order to conserve this important traditional knowledge, documentation is necessary which may provide new lead(s) for drug discovery in the future. Thus, the present research aims to demonstrate and document the importance of folk medicine in the study region as a novel source of anti-malarial drug(s)
Correlating traditional harvest practices of roots of medicinal plant Hemidesmus indicus with therapeutic biomolecule levels: with reference to traditional inscriptions
Full text linkTraditional texts mention some specific guidelines for harvesting of medicinal plants based on the seasons. These ancient practices are grounded in centuries of empirical knowledge and observation, aiming to maximize the plant's medicinal efficacy and potency. In this light, the present study considered an important medicinal herb Hemidesmus indicus to quantify an active phytocompound lupeol present in the plant root collected in different seasons and variations in morphoanatomical and phytochemical assay. Flavonoid and phenolic contents were investigated as a phytochemical assay. To estimate the quantity of lupeol a reliable, precise, reproducible and validated HPLC method was conducted. The study revealed that the lupeol content is highest in winter season (0.4029%) while least in rainy season (0.2739%) and there were no significant differences in pharmacognostical characters, but phytochemical contents were noted with significant variations. The total phenolic contents were highest in spring days (8.34%) and total flavonoid contents are highest in summer season (4.16%). The significant outline of the present piece of work based on the lupeol content and concentration of other secondary metabolites assures the relevancy of ancient wisdom in contemporary times through prudent utilisation of natural resources and sustainable growth of mankind. This is because results obtained through the investigations ensure the seasonal preferences as stated in ancient texts. These findings help in bridging traditional knowledge with contemporary understanding, ensuring safe and effective utilization of medicinal plants
Diversity of traditional medicinal plants in silvipastoral land use systems of Indian North Western Himalaya
Full text linkThe Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is one of the world’s mega biodiversity hotspots with diverse landscapes. The IHR harbour diverse agro-ecological conditions known for its silvipastoral land use systems for conservation and management of biodiversity. The present study highlights the diversity of ethno-medicinal plants in silvipastoral land use systems of Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya along with their indigenous medicinal uses. The study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with locals and Vaidya’s through participatory rural appraisal exercises, in 12 districts of study region spanning across 4 agroclimatic zones. The study identified 201 species belonging to 73 families and 170 genera. Fabaceae followed by Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Poaceae were the dominant families. The study identified utilization of 197 angiosperm species, 3 gymnosperms and 2 pteridophyte species. The species diversity showed maximum distribution of herbs (83), followed by trees (58) and shrubs (48). Leaves and root were the most frequently used part followed by fruits, whole plant, tuber and seeds. Powder followed by paste, juice, decoction, and extracts were the frequently utilized preparation methods for ethnomedicinal preparation for treatment of various ailments. Further the study attempts to address threat categories and suggests conservation and management strategies for potential ethnomedicinal plants
Traditional knowledge research in India: A bibliometric-based review and thematic analysis
Full text linkTraditional knowledge (TK) has gained substantial recognition for its utility in solution-seeking approaches to contemporary issues such as climate change, disaster risk resilience, and preservation of cultural identity. This makes it imperative to scrutinize the evolution of TK as a research field. However, there is a dearth of scholarly articles offering a holistic overview of TK-related research. The initial finding indicates that India is leading the field in such research among Asian countries. Consequently, the present study analyses the evolutionary trajectory of this research field in India, encompassing past, present and anticipated future discourse of such research. The present study employs insights from a bibliometric analysis of 836 literatures. Additionally, in-depth thematic analysis is based on the full-text review of 107 research papers. The study uncovers three prominent research themes emerging through the thematic analysis: (a) recording of TK through collation and documentation, (b) traditional medicinal systems, and (c) environment and sustainability. This critical exploration underscores the need for future research towards widening the scope of TK research, exploring the alternate forms of conservation, and deliberating on the efficient legal and policy measures aimed at uncovering the research field of TK while informing contemporary developments
Indigenous bahar management practice for improving quality of pomegranate under hot arid climate of Thar Desert
Full text linkPomegranate is an ancient fruit renowned for its exceptional nutritional value and is deeply rooted in traditional health-care systems. In hot arid climate, pomegranates exhibit three distinct flowering seasons, traditionally known as "ambe, mrig and hasta bahar”. The choice of bahar to be regulated depends on irrigation water availability, market demand and pest/disease incidence. The present investigation was undertaken to optimize bahar management and induce synchronized flowering during optimal climatic conditions to enhance fruit quality while minimizing fruit cracking through indigenous horticultural techniques such as water stress, pruning, de-blossoming and defoliation using ethephon. Data revealed that indigenous horticultural techniques and ethephon had a significant positive impact on fruit quality and marketable yield of pomegranate. Among horticultural techniques (P), the most favorable results were observed with water stress during June with pruning and de-blossoming, which yielded maximum fruit weight of 216.58 g, 64.58 fruits/plant, and marketable yield of 11.59 kg/plant, all while minimizing fruit cracking to 11.51%. The horticultural techniques in combination with ethephon applications (PxC) involving water stress during June, pruning, de-blossoming, and ethephon (2 mL/l) demonstrated remarkable improvements. This treatment resulted in improved fruit weight of 223.58 g, a marketable yield of 13.63 kg/plant, and the lowest incidence of fruit cracking of 9.42%. These findings allowing synchronized flowering, enhanced fruit quality and market value. These insights contribute to the sustainable pomegranate cultivation in rural areas of Thar desert and further support its role in traditional health-care system
Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat human ailments in Aseko District, Southeast Ethiopia
Full text linkAseko district, part of the Hararghe and Arsi Bale massive mountainous region in southeast Ethiopia, is renowned for its religious culture and traditions. The local People believe that plants are sacred to God and hold medicinal potential. This study aims to investigate ethnomedicinal knowledge of plants used to treat human ailments in the district. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews, key informants' interviews, guided field observations, and focus group discussions. Quantitative methods were employed to calculate the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), preference ranking, and Fidelity level values. The finding revealed that 96 species (trees 24%; shrubs 28%; herbs 40%) belonging to 89 genera and 66 families are utilized as medicinal plants to treat human ailments by indigenous people and local communities of the district. The plant Families with the highest number of species were Lamiaceae and Solanaceae, followed by Fabaceae. It was found that leaves (44%), roots (19%), and barks (10%) of species of these species are commonly used, raising concerns that such extensive use may significantly reduce their populations. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a proper conservation plan and management strategy for medicinal plants.