67ENVIS Bulletin Himalayan Ecology, Vol 26, 2018

bioprospecTing of PAEONIA EMODI for livelihood enhancemenT in WesTern himalaya, india

praveen Joshi1, 3*, prem prakash1, v.K. purohit2 and Kuldeep Joshi3

1Department of Botany, M.B.P.G. College, Haldwani, Kumaun University Nainital, Uttarakhand, India2High Altitude Plant Physiology Research Centre, H.N.B. Garhwal Central University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India3G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, India

correspondence: praveenjoshipj88@gmail.com

inTrodUcTionThe plant diversity of the Indian Himalaya is utilized by the native communities in various forms as medicine, edible/food, fodder, fuel, timber, agricultural tools, etc. Among these, wild edible plants are an important source of supplement food and can contribute to address global food insecurity (Negi et al., 2018). Wild plants are gathered in the form of fruits, shoot, leaves, twigs, flowers, roots, tubers stems etc. (Samant et al., 1997; Samant et al., 2001).

Plants play an important role in the human life. Medicinal plants offer alternative remedies with tremendous opportunities. They not only provide access and affordable medicine to the poor people in the remote areas; but also provide the opportunities to livelihood enhancement of the local communities in the developing countries (Rao et al., 2003; Arnold et al., 2001; Hamilton 2004; Negi 2011). Several plants such as Ocimum basilicum (basil), Ficus religiosa (peepal), Mangifera indica (mango), Ficus benghalensis (banyan) and Azadirachta indica (neem) etc. have significant religious importance.

Industries related to medicinal plants are developing at the tremendous pace. At present, the annual growth rate of herbal industry is increasing continuously and on the record basis from the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), the Indian herbal industry may like to increase in order of Rs. 80 to 90 billion by 2020 (Shakya 2016). A large part of the industry’s total production is exported and thus the country receives a large amount of foreign exchange.

Herbal products have less side effects, therefore rapid increase in their demand can be observed. Even in western countries, people adopting traditional medicinal systems and importing medicinal plants from countries like India, China and Thailand. According to world trade figures India stands in second position after China with exports of 32,600 tons medicinal plants raw materials worth US$46 million per annum (Lange 1997; Kala 2005). China is at the forefront of this trade. In India about 960 species of medicinal plants are traded per year, of which 178 species are extracted in surplus of 100 Metric tones (Ved et al., 2008).

Unemployment in Himalayan regions is a matter of concern, and local people are migrating to distant cities for earning money. In the last 10-15 years, there has been unlimited migration for education, health and employment from mountain areas (Maikhuri et al., 2017). Tourism is an important source of livelihood in Uttarakhand. The resource of the livelihood of the local farmers and youth of Kedar valley, famous Uttarakhand’s holy place (Dhams) of worship, is based on tourism for only 5-6 months in a year, in which horse-riding, hotel-business and transport business are the main professions but the uncertain weather conditions like excessive rainfall and landslides in the June-August months have the negative effect on the employment here which causes economic losses. As a result these local basic means of employment fail, so that the local youth and the farmer are forced to migrate towards cities for employment.

absTracTBio-prospecting of Paeonia emodi can be a good source of income for the rural people of Kedar valley, Uttarakhand. The edible parts P. emodi were analyzed for nutritional value by the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Garhwal unit Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand for promoting large scale consumption and cultivation. Bio-prospected products have been adopted by the people of Kedar valley for increasing their income and sustaining livelihood. The present study highlights the promotion of P. emodi as the wild edibles source of nutritional and economic security for the rural people of Himalayan region.

Keywords: Himalaya, Paeonia emodi, Bio-prospecting, Medicinal plants, Traditional knowledge.

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Species such as Phyllanthus emblica (Amla) and Citrus species (Nembo) for pickle; another Citrus species (Malta), Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi), Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy) and Rhododendron arboretum (Burans) are used for juice; Malus domestica (apple), Prunus persica (peach) and Prunus armeniaca (apricot) for fruit jam while Phaseolus vulgaris (Rajma) and Solanum tuberosum (potatoes) are providing good livelihood support in the mountainous regions. The present study was carried to explore the potential of multipurpose plant Paeonia emodi (Chandra) as the income generating source to sustain livelihood in the Western Himalaya.

maTerials and meThodsstudy speciesPaeonia emodi Wall. ex. Royle is annual, 50-70 cm tall plant, commonly known as Himalayan Peony or Chandra is largely distributed in North Western India, Northern Pakistan, East Afghanistan, China, and Western Nepal (Deyuan 2004). In India, the species is distributed from Kashmir to Uttarakhand (Chauhan 1999; Ismail et al., 2003; Kumar et al., 2011). The species is found to grow in Garhwal and Kumaun regions of the Uttarakhand at an altitudinal range of 1800 - 3000 m asl (Rawat et al., 2010). The species grows in cold climate and flourishes well in moist places under deciduous mixed oak forest. The plant prefers well-drained sandy to loam soils for its growth and survival which is initiated during February and complete in September (Joshi et al., 2017). The oval shaped fruits appears in the plant at the end of June which bears 8-12 black seeds. (Rawat et al., 2010).

The species is one of the traditionally important medicinal herb of Indian Himalaya Region (IHR) and has several medicinal uses i.e. for instance, the dried, powder and paste of the stem is applied for joint pain and as a plaster on bone fractures (Chopra et al., 1956; Watt, 1982; Haq et al., 2011), Fleshy roots are used in the intestinal and uterine diseases, the tuber of the plant is highly effective medicine for blood purifier, colic, bilious, headache, dizziness, vomiting, dropsy and hysteria while the seeds are purgative, emetic, cathartic and to aid pregnancy (Shinwari et al., 2003; Ahmad et al., 2004). An infusion of the dried flowers is given to control diarrhaea (Chopra et al., 1949).

STUDY AREAFor achieving the objective of the study a detail survey of Garhwal regions was carried out to identify P. emodi dominated areas. Therefore, Triyuginarayan (Altitude 2250 m asl, Latitude 30°26’45” N and Longitude 78°54’79”E) and nearby villages of Kedar valley under Rudraprayag district were selected for present study (Fig. 1).

documentation of traditional knowledge and nutrient profile of the bio-prospected product An extensive survey was carried out in the Kedar valley during 2017-18 for documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge on the P. emodi. Interviews and group discussions with local people and shopkeepers of Triyuginarayan were conducted to collect information on the traditional use of the species. Information of bio-prospecting process and nutritional constituents of the manufactured product (pickle) from P. emodi was gathered from Rural Technology and Demonstration Centre (RTDC) in Triyuginarayan (a training Center of G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development (GBPNIHESD), Garhwal unit Srinagar Garhwal).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONUnemployment in the mountain regions of Uttarakhand is a matter of concern for the sustainable development of the region (Rawat et al., 2010; Negi et al., 2011). Small entrepreneurship could play pivotal role in the providing the employment to the youth of the Uttarakhand state. Unemployed youths in this region can engaged themselves in the preparation of quality products from wild edibles. A report confirms that output and net return from these exercises can be very fruitful (Negi et al., 2011). Some people from Kedar valley of Uttarakhand are adopting bioprospecting of wild edible plants as a source of income. GBPNIHESD, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, in its training unit located in Triyuginarayan of Kedar valley, is training local community, researchers and students (approximately 550 youths and farmers) for self-employment. The pickle formed from Paeonia emodi is appearing as the option for income generation. As a result, trainees learned the process of making pickle from this plant and have adopted as a livelihood enhancement option.

69ENVIS Bulletin Himalayan Ecology, Vol 26, 2018

Bio-prospecting through value addition to the potential wild edibles is attracting attention of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals companies etc. (Maikhuri et al., 1998). It can be the high income generating component for rural mountain regions. Marketing of wild edible and their products (food, medicines, cosmetics etc.) play a significant role in the socio-economic development of rural area as it generates income for poor people (Sundriyal et al., 2004; Maikhuri et al., 2004).

bio-prospecting of Paeonia emodi1. pickle: The leaves and stems are washed to remove foreign materials, cut into small pieces, and boiled than use tap water to remove bitterness thoroughly. After that, it is kept for drying in the sunlight for 2-3 hours. The product is then fried with oil and mixed with salt and spices to make pickle. Preservative may be also added for long time utilization (Fig. 2).

Prepared pickle has good nutritional constituent (Table 1).

The product is very useful in diabetes (Joshi et al., 2017). 500 gm or 1000 gm of manufactured pickles canned packs, whose market sale price is up to Rs. 300 /-per kg (Fig 2).

s. no. nutrients nutritional value

1 Vitamin A 58.31±0.11 mg/100 gm

2 Vitamin C 160.50±1.85 mg/100 gm

3 Vitamin E 0.49±0.007 µ gm/gm

4 Protein 310.06±0.47 mg/100 gm

5 Carbohydrate 0.353±0.02 mg/gm

6 Methionin 36.13±0.04 mg/gm

7 Proline 1.04±0.07 µ mol/gm

(Resource- GBPNIHESD, Garhwal unit, Srinagar Garhwal Uttarakhand)

Table 1. Nutritional value of the manufactured products from P. emodi

fig. 2. (A) Manufactured pickle of P. emodi after many process, (B) Pickle with tagged inside plastic box, (C) Manufactured products from P. emodi & other wild edible plants for selling.

2. Dry green chunks are prepared from green leaves and stems, which are used for making vegetables and Indian raita (Fig 1).3. Boiled leaves and stem water is used to in stomach disorders and for diabetic.

conclUsionBio-prospected products of Paeonia emodi holds good potential for increasing the income of the rural people of Himalayan region. Small entrepreneurs with the marketing of wild edibles along with the tourism should be promoted for solving the under-employment, poverty and food security issues of rural areas of Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya.

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fig. 1. (A) P. emodi in natural habit, (B) Leaves & Stem in juvenile stage, (C) Chopping process, (D) Boiling process, (E) Filtration, (F) Chunks & drying process.

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