Survey, Collection and Utilization of Grewia and Cordia Species for Human and Animal Nutrition in Arid Kachchh, Gujarat

Abstract

underutilized plants like Grewia and Cordia species have great potential for contribution to food and fodder security for rural families and their animals; these plants have medicinal properties. In Kachchh, great diversity of these species viz. G. tenax, G. villosa, G. flavescences, C. myxa and C. gharaf is available in arid lands. However, these species are under severe neglect from research and extension despite their potential to grow over large areas. Hence, this study conducted comprehensive botanical surveys in spring and winter 2015 to collect 97 diverse and valuable germplasms of these species for their characterization and utilization from 55 sites of 5 blocks of Kachchh by adapting selective sampling strategy. Each collected germplasms was allotted individual accession number. It was found that G. tenax (72.71%) was distributed widely followed by G. villosa (49.09%), C. gharaf (29.09%) and C. myxa (21.81%). Whereas, G. flevescence (3.63%) was minimally distributed. Distribution of 69 Grewia germplasm was maximum in Nakhatrana (44%) followed by Bhuj (27.53%), Mandvi (15.94%), Rapar (8.69%) and Bhachau (2.89%). However, 28 sites of Cordia germplasm collection were mostly distributed in Bhuj (53.57%) followed by Mandvi (28.57%), Rapar (10.71%) and Bhachau (7.42%). Finally, it is concluded that there is fair diversity of G. tenax and G. villosa in nakhatarana, while, C. myxa and C. gharaf were mainly found in Bhuj and mandvi. It was found that Kotda Chakar (Bhuj), Dahisara and Koday (mandvi) are the diversity regions for all selected species except G. flevescence which is only found in Dhinodhar (Nakhatrana)