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Scientific Evaluation of Aromatic-cum-Medicinal Grasses for the Welfare of Marginal People Uplifting Rural Economy in the Gangetic Plains

of Eastern India

BY
M. Sc. (Gold Medallist), Ph. D.
EX-Associate Professor & Head, Department of Botany Bejoy Narayan College, Itachuna, Hooghly, West Bengal Secretary General, Indian Society for Promotion of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (ISMAP) Regional Representative of International Council of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (ICMAP) And Advisor and consultant of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants. E-mail : mohan49gh@yahoo.com

INTRODUCTION
> In recent times, herbal plants are finding diverse uses as raw materials, not only for medicines but also as biopesticides and many other articles of cosmetic and perfumery value like soaps, shampoos, talcum powder, toothpaste and aroma compounds used in food flavours and fragrances of natural colours in the world. Global demand for herbal products has steadily increased and there has been tremendous developmental activities within the industrial sectors to develop various types of herbal products. > The appropriate selection of a herb for specific purpose, its taxonomic identification, cultivation practice and harvesting at appropriate time are some of the steps necessary for ensuring a supply of quality raw materials for production of high valued herbal products. Since, medicinal and aromatic plants are new and uncommon to the growers, they are unaware of the fact that these are to be maintained. As the demand for domestic and export market has been increasing, the production of these crops on a large scale by incorporating them into cropping system of the country has become necessary to maintain sustainable production and supply.

Medicinal and Aromatic plants are now on the decline due to deforestation, lack of scientific cultivation, conservation etc. This is a problem that demands our immediate attention for greater interest for the nation. It is urgent need to follow the following important recommendations made by the third and fourth world congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (WOCMAP) and the International council of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ICMAP) : 1. Should bring together information on identity, distribution and conservation status of MAPs. 2. Should gather information on how they are used including local traditional knowledge. 3. Should gather information on the extent to which they are harvested in wild population. 4. Should gather information on their cultivation & propagation. 5. Should gather information on their agronomy and cultivation in protected area. 6. Ethno veterinary medicine as well as the use of plants and plant products to improve animal health, productivity and welfare requires more internation attention. 7. Economic sustainability of plant procurement through wild collection, domestication and cultivation must be secured through transparent costing and prizing that will provide ample opportunities for rural income generation and community development.

The State of West Bengal is gifted with an enormous wealth of diversity in plant species. These can be a priceless resource with high potential for economic and ecological gains especially in the rural areas if properly protected and promoted. The area of the District of West Bengal (Hooghly) where the present investigation has been carried out is inhabited by marginal poor people and a large area of land, which is dry, upland and some what unfertilized not suitable for traditional crop rice cultivation, is left out as waste land. Considering the importance of the recommendations of the WOCMAP & ICMAP and in order to preserve the natural resources of the MAPs of the area along with their sustainable use and their commercial exploitation for the welfare of the rural people, present author has attempted to carry out the following investigations for survey & conservation: Survey of the natural resources of MAPs in the area. Proper identification of the species growing locally and their uses by the local people. Observation to know the causes of depletion and loss of the plants. Conservation strategies of MAPs. Agro-technology and economics of cultivation for scientific growing of a few medicinal and aromatic plants in the area. Promotion of MAPs in the area.

An attempt has also been made to standardize all the factors responsible for growth and development of some selected commercially viable economically important aromatic grasses and make them feasible for large scale cultivation at the cultivators field after providing the know how of cultivation. In a separate line of study, efforts have been made to increase growth and developmental pattern of the grasses including the biomass production by using optimum fertilizers, photoperiodic stimulus and bio-regulators with special reference to the synthesis of essential oil along with quality. Finally, analysis of economics of cultivation of the grasses has been made for their prospect of commercial exploitation in the gangetic plains of West Bengal. Ultimately this will help the diversification of crop pattern and uplift the rural economy.

> Role of Environment , Growth & Developmental physiology for the synthesis of secondary metabolites:
The Chemical compounds responsible for aroma are the secondary metabolites produced in plant parts. Although Genes are responsible for the production of these compounds but the expression of Genes is controlled by environmental factors and growth and development pattern of a particular plant. According to Meyer and Anderson, the environment is the foster parent of every plant and plays an indispensable role in its development as do hereditary factors which are the Biological Parents. Genetic Constituent + Internal Processes and Organic Environment condition regulated by Development hormones & enzymes (Growth, Photo synthetic activity, Translocation and accumulation of necessary raw materials)

MATERIALS :
1) 2) 3) Cymbopogon flexuosus Steud. Wats. (Lemon Grass) Cymbopogon martini Stapf. (Palmarosa) Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt. (Citronella) Family : Poaceae.

Following Experiments have been done:


Cultural Experiments : Sowing & Transplanting Experiment Fertilizer Experiments (Different combinations of NPK): N1P1K1 = N60 P50 K30kg & N2P2K2=N120P100 K60 kg./ha. Photoperiodic Experiments: Long days & short days experiment (-10,20 and 30PIC) Hormonal Experiments : GA3 50g./ml. and 100 g./ml.

The different developmental phases were distinguished on the Basis of presence of reproductive units as follows:

1.Vegetative 2.Reproductive

: :

From germination stage upto initiation of bud. From the initiation of bud upto approximately 20% bud, 70% flowers and 10% fruits. After reproductive phase, upto 95% fruits and 5% flowers. After post-reproductive phase, upto the period when 75% of the leaves yellowed.

3.Post-reproductive

4.Senile

Following detailed studies have been undertaken:

1. Growth and Developmental behaviour of the plants under above mentioned experiments 2. Essential oil synthesis in response to the above mentioned experiments during different developmental phases. 3. Analysis of some important metabolites connected with E.oil synthesis. 4. Analysis of major chemical constituents of the oils during different developmental phases. 5. Correlationship among growth, development,metabolism and essential oil formation. 6. Analysis of yield of herbage & oil per hectare 7. Economics of cultivation of the plants.

West Bengal
Latitude: 22 34' North Longitude: 88 22' East

METEOROLOGICAL DATA
(During the period of Experimentation)
Months Temperature Relative Humidity (%) Max 95 95 96 91 89 92 94 91 96 96 96 97 Min. 41 42 46 53 63 79 82 82 75 75 64 49 0.25 7.15 48.8 46.1 125.9 267.0 304.6 278.4 270.5 200.0 19.7 4.2 1 2 3 5 8 16 22 21 14 10 4 1 9.7 9.5 9.5 10.5 11.0 5.8 5.5 6.5 8.2 9.6 9.5 9.0 Total Rainfall (mm) Rainy days (No.) Duration of Bright Sunshine (hr.)

Max. January February March April May June July August September October November December 24.6 29.1 33.0 35.2 34.6 32.6 31.9 32.8 32.7 31.9 29.2 31.1

Min 10.2 13.0 18.5 22.9 25.0 25.5 25.7 25.7 25.5 22.9 16.0 10.5

In the Met. data of the area, max. temp. was noted from March to August. Increase in the max. and min. level of relative humidity with their min. variation was noted during June to Sept. Whereas, increase in the duration of bright sunshine was noted from October to May. Soil condition and soil composition as given in the bottom of the table.

Soil Condition : Soil Composition:

Clay Soil, pH-6. N2-4%, P(as P2O5) - 0.03%, Ca (as CaO) - 0.01% and K-0.04%.

Results of Survery and Conservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Gangetic Bengal Table I Medicinal Herbs (locally available) used by the common people for curing common ailments

Common Diseases Cold & Cough

Herbs used Achyranthes aspera Allium cepa Ocimum sanctum Zingiber officinale Adhatoda vasica Datura stramonium

Parts used Seeds Scales Leaves Rhizome Leaves Seeds Leaves Rhizome Bulb Bulb Roots Leaves Leaves Leaves Leaves

Body Pains

Aloe vera Zingiber officinale Allium cepa Allium sativum Argemone mexicana Solanum nigrum Centella asiatica Ocimum sanctum Calotropis procera

Alimentary Tract Problems

Aegle marmelos Allium sativum Piper longum Piper betle Emblica officinalis Cassia fistula Centella asiatica Phyllanthus niruri Andrographis paniculata Enhydra fluctuens Hygrophila spinoca

Fruit pulp & leaves Bulb Fruits Leaves Fruits Ripe Fruits Leaves Whole plant Leaves Leaves Leaves Leaves Roots Leaves Whole plant Fruits Leaves Leaves

Memory

Bacopa monnieri Withania somnifera Vitex negunda

Diabetes

Phyllanthus niruri Emblica officinalis Catharanthas roseus Gymnema sylvestris

Kidney Stones

Beorhaavia diffusa Bryophyllum calycium Phyllanthus niruri Dolichos biflorus

Leaves Leaves Whole plant Seeds Leaves Stems Leaves & Fruits Bark Leaves Fruits Leaves & Fruits Leaves Leaves & Fruits Rhizome Whole Plant Leaves Leaves Root Powder Root Powder

Liver Diseases

Andrographis paniculata Tinospora cordifolia Solanum nigrum Alstonia scholaris

Hair Problem

Elipta alba Emblica officinalis Azadirachta indica

Skin Problem

Aloe vera Azadirachta indica Curcuma longa

Cuts & Wounds

Cynodon Dactylon Tagetis patula Azadirachta indica

Immunity

Asparagus racemosus Withania Somnifera

Table II Gradually depleting Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Scientific name Common name Causes of Depletion ___________________________________________________________________________ *1.Acacia arobica Babul Natural & Biotic *2.Adhatoda vasica Vasaka Natural & Biotic *3.Aegle marmelos Bel Biotic *4.Allium cepa Onion Biotic *5. Allium sativum Garlic Biotic *6.Aloe vera GritaKumari Natural *7.Alstonia scholaris Chatim Biotic *8. Andrographis paniculata Kalmegh Natural *9.Asperagus racemosus Satamuli Biotic *10.Azadirachta indica Neem Biotic *11.Bacopa monnieri Brahmi Natural *12.Boerhaavia diffusa Punarnova Natural *13.Bryophyllum calycinum Patharkuchi Natural *14.Catharanthus roseus Nayantara Natural & Biotic *15.Centella asiatica Thankuni Natural & Biotic *16.Cissus quandrangularis Harjora Biotic *17.Clerodendron infortunatum Ghetu Biotic *18.Curcuma longa Halud Biotic *19.Cymbopogon flexuosus Lemon grass Natural & Biotic

*20.Dolichos biflorus Kulatta kalai *21.Eupatorium triplinerve Ayapana *22.Gloriosa superba Ulotchandal *23. Gymnema sylvestris Gudmar *24.Holarrhena antidysentrica Kurchi *25.Hygrophila spinosa Kulekhara *26. Justicia rubra Bisallakarani *27. Mentha piperita Pudina *28.Mimosops elangi Bakul *29.Mimosa pudica Lajjabati *30.Nelumbo nucifera Padma *31.Ocimum sanctum Radhatulsi *32.Phyllanthus embelica Amlaki *33.Rauvolfia serpentina Sarpagandha *34.Saraka indica Ashok *35.Terminalia arjuna Arjun *36.Tinospora cordifolia Gulancha *37.Tylophora indica Anantamul *38.Vitex negunda Nishinda *39.Wedelia calendula Keshraj *40.Withania somnifera Aswagandha

Biotic Natural Natural Natural & Biotic Biotic Natural & Biotic Biotic Natural Biotic Natural & Biotic Natural & Biotic Natural & Biotic Biotic Natural & Biotic Biotic Biotic Natural & Biotic Natural & Biotic Biotic Natural & Biotic Natural & Biotic

Table III Agro-technology of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants for proper conservation & Cultivation (in brief)
Aromatic Plants Name Habit Soil Propagation Time of plan ting & spa cing Rainy seas on 60cm x 60c m Rainy seas on 60cm x 60c m Winter seas on 50cm x 50c m Rainy seas on 60cm x 60c m Fertilizer Harvesting Time Main Chemi cals Net Profit (Rs./ ha) & Parts used 45,000/(Leaves)

Cymbopogon flexuosus var.OD-19(Ita-1) (Lemon Grass)

Perennial arom atic grass

Well drained sandy loam

Seeds or rooted slips

Composed120q/ha. NPK- 60:50:40 Kg/ha

4 cuttings from 2nd year onward s upto 5 yr. 4 cuttings from 2nd year onward s upto 5 yr. 2 cuttings in 6 months

Citral (7590%)

Cymbopogon winterianus var.Manjusha (Citronella)

Perennial arom atic grass

Light loamy soil or sandy soil

Rooted slips

Vermi Compos ed150q/ha. NPK150:60:6 0 kg/ha Composed100q/ha. NPK100:60:5 0 Kg/ha Composed120q/ha. NPK120:60:4 0 Kg/ha

Geraniol (90%) & Cironel lal (3545%) Menthol (5055%)

40,000/(Leaves)

Mentha piperita (Pudina/Pepermint)

Perennial arom atic crop

Light calcare ous or deep rich loams Well drained rich loamy with alkalin eacidic soil.

Suckers & stolons

30,000/(Leaves)

Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil)

Erect peren nial under shrub

Seeds

Full bloom stage then 2 months interval s

Linalool (5060%)

80,000/(Leaves)

Table - IV
Medicinal Plants Name Habit Soil Propagation Time of plan ting & spac ing June-July. 30c mx 15c m Fertilizer Harvesting Time Main Che mica ls Net Profit (Rs./ ha) & Parts used 60,000/(Leaves)

Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh)

Erect annual herb

Clayey to sandy soil

Seeds or cutting s

Composed30 q/ha. NPK30:20 :10 Kg/ha Bone dust50q/h a. NPK50:30 :20/h a

Just before flow ering stage

Kalmeghin, And rogr aphi n& Pani colin Quinozole Vaci colin , Adh atodi ne, etc. Glucosideasiat icosi de & Asia tic asid Alkaloids Vinb lasti ne & Vinc risti ne

Adhatoda vasica (Vasaka)

Erect peren nial under shrub

Moist sandy & alluvia l

Steam cutting s

Rainy seas on 1mx 1m

After 6 mont hs

50,000/(Leaves)

Centella asiatica (Thankuni)

Prostrate peren nial creepi ng herb Erect peren nial herb

Natural moist soil

Rooted node cutting s

Rainy seas on 20cm x 20c m Rainy seas on 60c mx 60c m

Vermi Comp osed30q/h a.

3-4 harvests per year

30,000/(Leaves)

Catharanthus rosesus (Periwinkle)

High alkaline loamy soil

Seeds & steam cutting s

Composed50q/h a. NPK50:30 :20 kg/ha

After 10-12 mont hs

75,000/(Roots & Leav es)

Results of Growth and Developmental Physiology in relation to the synthesis of Essential oils and Economics of cultivation of Aromatic Grasses in Gangetic Bengal

Table - V
Effect of effective treatments on leaf formation, dry weight accumulation and essential oil formation in lemon grass and palmarosa during vegetative phase.

% increase (+) or decrease (-) over control


Treatments Leaf formation Dry wt. accumulation Essential oil formation

CF
N1P1K1 LD-20 PIC SD-20 PIC GA3-50g/ml +25 +12 -02 +08

CM
+40 +26 -22 +16

CF
+15 +06 -02 +04

CM
+14 +07 -03 +05

CF
+16 +10 -01 +07

CM
+25 +13 -08 +09

CF : C. flexuosus, CM : C. martini, N1 = 60 kg/ha., P1 = 50 kg/ha., K1 = 30 kg/ha., PIC = Photo Inductive Cycle.


In the table, analysis of growth behaviour and E.oil formation of the plants clearly revealed that max. rates of extension growth, leaf formation and dry wt. accum. remained associated with the max. rate of formation of E.oil. It has been also observed that the most effective treatments of fertilizer, photoperiod and GA3 increased the growth behaviour thereby increasing the E.oil formation. Max. effect was noted in N1P1K1 treatment.

Table - VI Duration of developmental phases and corresponding essential oil formation in different treatments in lemon grass and palmarosa.
Treatments Duration (days) of phases Vegetative
CF Control N1P1K1 N1P1 N1K1 SD-10 PIC LD-20 PIC GA3-50g/ml 105 93 95 100 100 --117 CM 75 60 62 65 80 63 65

E. Oil (gm./100 gm) content Vegetative


CF 0.30 0.41 0.38 0.36 0.31 --0.34 CM 0.36 0.48 0.46 0.44 0.32 0.40 0.38

Reproductive
CF 45 57 55 50 50 --38 CM 60 80 73 70 50 67 65

Reproductive
CF 0.36 0.48 0.46 0.40 0.37 --0.39 CM 0.40 0.52 0.52 0.48 0.36 0.45 0.43

CF : C. flexuosus, CM : C. martini, N1 = 60 kg/ha., P1 = 50 kg/ha., K1 = 30 kg/ha., PIC = Photo Inductive Cycle, --- no flower formation.
Our results have clearly established a very definitive role of reproductive period on essential oil formation and the data of fertilizer, photoperiod and gibberellin treatments have lucidly exposed to a more congenial internal environment during reproductive growth for an augmented production of essential oil per unit amount of laminar tissue.

Table VII
Duration of senile phase and essential oil content in lemon grass and palmarosa. Treatments Increase (+) or decrease (-) of senile phase over control (days) C-flexuosus
N1P1K1 N1P1 N1K1 LD-10 PIC GA3-50g/ml -10 -06 -05 +05 +05

% increase (+) or decrease (-) of essential oil content over control C-flexuosus
+0.09 +0.07 +0.03 +0.03 +0.05

C. martini
-10 -08 -05 -05 -06

C. martini
+0.08 +0.07 +0.03 +0.03 +0.04

CF : C. flexuosus, CM : C. martini, N1 = 60 kg/ha., P1 = 50 kg/ha., K1 = 30 kg/ha., PIC = Photo Inductive Cycle.


In the table, it has been noted that shorter the duration of senile phase higher is the essential oil content in the treated plants as compared to control. In NPK treated plants the minimum duration of senile phase is closely associated with the maximum essential oil content.

Table - VIII
Synthesis of essential oil in relation to total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen and total carbohydrate soluble formation in different treatments during developmental phases of lemon grass and palma rosa. rosa.

Treatments Total nitrogen


Veg. C-flexuosus Control N1P1K1 LD-20 PIC GA3-50g/ml C-martini Control N1P1K1 LD-20 PIC GA3-50g/ml 2.44 3.06 2.68 2.56 2.28 3.04 2.52 2.35 2.36 2.96 2.48 2.50 2.26 2.92 2.49 2.45 Rep.

% content during phases


Soluble nitrogen
Veg. Rep.

Total Carbohyd
Veg. Rep.

Essential oil
Veg. Rep.

0.80 1.10 0.81 0.84

1.26 1.51 1.36 1.30

2.41 3.10 2.58 2.44

3.03 3.32 3.15 3.08

0.30 0.41 0.36 0.34

0.36 0.48 0.40 0.39

0.90 1.14 0.98 0.92

1.30 1.48 1.40 1.35

2.28 2.52 2.40 2.32

3.16 3.66 3.40 3.28

0.36 0.48 0.40 0.38

0.40 0.52 0.45 0.43

Veg. : Vegetative Phase, Ref : Reproductive Phase.


Of the three Biochemical parameters, the increase of soluble Nitrogen and total Carbohydrate contents could be said to remain associated with increased synthesis of E.oil during reproductive phase. It might be said that increasing accum. of Carbohydrate, mainly derived from the accum. of Photosynthates, could serve as one of the ingredients to be channeled in to the formation of E.oil precursor.

Table - IX
Formation of essential oil under varying effective treatments during different developmental phases of lemon grass and palmarosa.
Optimum treatments

Essential oil content (gm/100 gm fresh laminar tissue)


Vegetative
CF CM 0.36 0.48 0.42 0.45 0.38 0.30 0.41 0.35 0.31 0.34

Reproductive
CF 0.36 0.48 0.42 0.40 0.39 CM 0.40 0.52 0.50 0.48 0.46

Post reproduct.
CF 0.30 0.40 0.38 0.36 0.34 CM 0.38 0.45 0.42 0.43 0.42 CF

Senile
CM 0.32 0.40 0.38 0.38 0.36 0.25 0.34 0.32 0.30 0.30

Control N1P1K1 N-only LD-20 PIC GA3-50g/ml

CF : C. flexuosus, CM : C. martini, N-only = Nitrogen 60kg/ha.


In this table, it is observed that the total content of the E.oil per unit laminar tissue, when examined separately during vegetative, reproductive, post reproductive and senile phases, always appeared to be max. during reproductive phase and N1P1K1 treatment showed max. content than the other treatments.

Table - X
Citral and Geraniol content during different developmental phases of lemon grass and palmarosa in different treatments Optimum treatments Vegetative
C Control N1P1K1 LD-20 PIC GA3-50g/ml 66.80 72.50 68.00 68.00 G 66.42 70.00 68.00 66.00

% Content during phases


Reproductive
C 80.00 88.80 82.40 80.80 G 85.00 90.00 88.00 82.00

Post reproduct.
C 70.00 78.80 72.00 70.00 G 70.00 80.32 78.00 70.00 C

Senile
G 62.00 70.00 64.00 52.00

76.00 80.00 76.00 72.00

C = Citral, G = Geraniol
While analysing citral & Geraniol contents in lemon grass & pamarosa oils during the progress of developmental phases of the plants, it was revealed that the chemical constituents attained its max. peak during reproductive phase of development. Max. content was noted in N1P1K1 treatment.

Table XI *Yield of green herbage and E.oil in C. flexuosus (CF) and C. martini (CM) under varying optimum treatments
Treatments Yield of herbage (quintal/hectare) C-flexuosus
Transplanted plants

Yield of E.oil (kg/hectare) C-flexuosus


110-120 250-260 130-140

C. martini
200-250 350-400 250-300

C. martini
100-110 170-180 110-120

250-300 500-550 300-350

N1P1K1 LD-20 PIC

* Average of 5 years (upto six cuttings in C-flexuosus and four cuttings in C. martini

Table XII Economics of cultivation of lemon grass(CF) and Palmarosa (CM) /hectare (Average of 5 years) CF
Total cost of Cultivation including distillation (Rs.) Total Return (Rs.) Net Gain (Rs.)/ha. 55000.00 110000.00 55000.00

CM
45000.00 90000.00 45000.00

CONCLUSION
1. About 400 plants which are available in the area are of medicinal value. 2. About 80 MAPs are widely used by the local people to cure their common diseases. 3. About 40 MAPs which are depleting day to day have been recorded and these are conserved in the Medicinal Plant Garden as Ex situ conservation. 4. Biotic pressure (including the over exploitation, excess cultivation of traditional crops, unscientific collection by the suppliers and destruction of the plants for the development of buildings i.e. urbanization) and Natural factors (including climatic change, drought, loss of water bodies etc) are the chief for the depletion and gradual loss of MAPs. 5. Specific requirements of agronomical input and also other requirements like physical and chemical treatments for success in cultivation of the MAPs in the gangetic tract of West Bengal. 6. Relation between weather condition of the area (bright sunshine, higher variation of maximum & minimum temperature and humidity) and essential oil formation. 7. Relation between growth and essential oil synthesis of the plants. 8. Definite role of reproductive phase for increased synthesis of essential oils & major chemical constituents. 9. Morphological and Biochemical indexing of the essential oil formation. 10. Increased production of herbage yield and oil yield per hectare towards different optimum treatments and net gain for cultivation of the plants would be attractive to the farmers to exploit the plants (specially the aromatic grasses) commercially in the area. 11. The aromatic-cum-medicinal plants may be exploited as non-traditional cash in the Gangetic tract of West Bengal for the upliftment of rural economy.

SUGGESTION
Government or private agencies should take initiative and active interest in 1) Conservation, development and cultivation practices of important medicinal and aromatic plants. 2) Expansion of the area under cultivation to meet the growing domestic as well as export demand and reclamation of fallow land. 3) Generation of quality planting material through the development of herbal gardens and nurseries and using modern biotechnology. 4) Establishment of processing and distillation units in suitable places with easy access for the rural people. 5) Expansion and dissemination of Agro Technology, as developed, to the rural people and user agencies through local Panchayats and Block Development Offices. 6) Establishment of training centres to train the rural people for the cultivation of MAPs and extraction of essential oils of aromatic crops. 7) Establishment of Co-operative societies through which the raw products developed by the rural people can be easily sold directly to the users. 8) Establishment of a coordinated network among the different segments involved in the development of aromatic crops, especially the scientists, \ farmers, traders and the Government and non-Government organizations for sustainable utilization of MAPs for the welfare of rural masses.

Promotion of MAPs in the area has been done by organizing : 1. By organizing national symposium (NACMAP-05) 2. Local seminars & workshops. 3. Training programmes in our institution and in a rural technology centre for the sake of farmers and unemployed youths. 4. Awareness programme in Schools & Colleges to make the local people aware about the importance of the conservation of MAPs in the area and also make them interested to grow the crops as nontraditional cash crops in their fallow land (not suitable for traditional rice cultivation) with the agro technology developed in our institution, which will ultimately enable them to earn extra money and enhance their job opportunities I owe my sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. S. K. Chatterjee, Dr. C. M. Ghosh, West Bengal, India and Prof. Dr. Ch. Franz (Austria) and Dr. L.E. Craker (USA) for sending invaluable massage for my promotional activities of MAPs in the remote area for uplifting rural economy.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Author is grateful to the following Scientists / Organizations for their Help and Encouragement : 1.Prof. Dr. S. K. Chatterjee (Ex. Prof. and Head Deptt. of Botany, B.U., Director and other med. Plants, Govt. of West Bengal ; M.D., W.B. Pharmaceutical & Phyto Chemical Development Corp Ltd. India). 2.Prof. Dr. Ch. Franz, Director, Institute of Applied Botany and Food Science, Vienna, Austria & Vice-President, ICMAP. 3.Dr. S. Sahoo, Scientist, R.R.L., Bhubaneswar, India. 4.Dr. D. D. Patra, Scientist, CIMAP, Lucknow, India 5.Dr. Chintamoni Ghosh, Director, State Medicinal Plants Board, W.B., 6.U.G.C., New Delhi, India. 7.D.S.T., Govt. of West Bengal,India 8.Department of Agri Horticulture Society of India, Kolkata 9.Principal, B.N. Mahavidyalaya, Itachuna, Hooghly, W.B., India for providing the research plots and necessary laboratory facilities. 10.Director, Rural Technology centre, Burdwan University, India.

LET US TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Lemon Grass

Lemongrass Field

Palmarosa Field

Palmarosa(high yielding var.)

Lemon Grass

Citronella

Mentha

Ocimum

Andrographis

Adhatoda Adhatoda

Centella

Catharanthus

Research Lab.

Extraction

With Dr. Kubeckza (Germany)

With Dr. Franz (Vienna)

THAILAND WOCMAP-III

WOCMAP -III

WITH DR. HEYWOOD (THAILAND)

WITH EOAI SECRETARY

WITH DR. KHANJUJA CIMAP

WITH EOAI PRECIDENT

NACMAP- 2005

WITH DR. S.K. CHATTERJEE

WOCMAP- IV (CAPETOWN)

With Dr. S.K. Chatterkee Principal Speaker

Work Shop

Training Programme

Consultancy

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that the urgent need of the hour is the sincere cooperation and coordination among scientists, policy makers, traders and farmers instrumental for the successful promotion and development of medicinal and aromatic plants in a particular agroclimatic region with appropriate agrotechnology fulfilling the needs of domestic as well as export demand of herbal products on one hand and reclamation of wasteland thereby uplifting rural economy on the other.

THANK YOU

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