Range grasses and legumes of India: Diversity and significances

Abstract

The range grasses and legumes are important components of rangeland ecosystem. In Indian rangelands, these species show enormous diversity and have immense economic, ecological and socio-religious significance. Range grasses provide nutritious fodder for livestock, which is the mainstay of traditional farming system and also provide raw material for industry such as paper, pulp, aromatic oil etc. Among range legumes, the species of genera Alysicarpus, Atylosia, Desmodium, Pueraria, Rhynchosia, Stylosanthes, Teramnus etc have huge potential. Many of the range grasses and legumes are supposed the lie support species as food during drought and famines. The present review is an attempt to give an overview of diversity, economic, ecological and socio-religious significances of grass and legume species of Indian rangelands along with future research needs for sustainable utilization of these species.