Status of tree improvement in the north western Himalayan region of India Sharma Jai Pal*, Thakur Sanjeev Department of Tree Improvement and Genetic ResourceDr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan, Himachal PradeshIndia *Email: jptigr@yspuniversity.ac.in
Online published on 9 August, 2021. Abstract The North western Himalayan Region (NWHR) comprises of three states of the Indian Republic viz., Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Geographically, it spread between 280 43'-370 05 ' N latitude and 720 40'-810 02' E longitude covering an approximate area of 33 million ha contributing about 10 per cent of total geographical area of the country. Climate varies considerably from sub-tropical in the foothills to temperate towards alpine region in the southern flanks, however crossing Himalayan ranges towards north, it is cold arid zone with hardly any rainfall (Dar and Ahmed 2016; Sharma et al. 2017). There is great diversity in floristic pattern due to altitudinal variation, coupled with rainfall factor which becomes lesser and lesser from East to West. Large number of species from wild edible fruit plants, medicinal and aromatic plants, ornamental plants, orchids, bamboos, fodder tree species to timber species are found (Hazra and Rao 1990). Tree improvement has immense potential and provides the basic building block to improve the tree species growing in North West Himalaya. To develop genetically improved quality of planting material, it is essential to exploit the existing genetic variation in trees for various end uses e.g., to increase the productivity along with tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Top Keywords Broadleaved, Conifers, Genetic resources, Himalayas, Variation. Top |