Chemical Constituents and Therapeutic Properties of Himalayan Rhododendron Arboreum - Review

ABSTRACT Nature has plentiful plant sources to fulfil the needs of human beings in terms of food and medicines. Rhododendron tree is one of them. The literature reviewed from online resources suggests that Rhododendron arboretum belongs to family Ericaceae and bears pale pink to deep red colour flowers. It is a national flower of Nepal and a state flower of Uttarakhand. The flowers generally blossom in the months of March to April and June to September. Rhododendron contains significant amount of minerals and many phytochemicals and secondary metabolites like alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, tannins and steroids. Rhododendron arboreum has various therapeutic properties like anti-diabetic property, anti- inflammatory property, antioxidant property, anti-hyperlipidemic property, anti-cancerous property, cardio protective properties. People of India use it in preparation of many valued products like jellies, squashes, ready to serve drinks etc. But their commercialized value added products are not available. This study suggests for more extensive studies on development of commercial product for utilization of its nutritional and therapeutic value.

Spatial Distribution and Ethno-botanical Aspect of Edible Plant from Foothill Region of Dhauladhar Range, Kangra Valley, North-Western Himalaya, India

ABSTRACT Traditional medicine is a part of health care practice by local inhabitants residing in the peculiar landscape of the Himalaya. The edible plant species are used to fulfill dietary requirements as well as to cure various ailments. The present study represents the diversity, distribution and ethnobotanical aspect of wild fruit species from the foothill region of Dhauladhar Range, Kangra Valley, northwestern Himalaya, India. Total 37 edible plant species belong to 28 genera and 20 families were noticed, where family Rosaceae, Rutaceae and Muraceae are the most dominant. The GIS-based classification showed a high diversity of the edible plants in the south-eastern part of the study area, while isolated patches in low and high plant diversity reveal the effect of the habitat diversity and regional microclimate. The studies based upon indigenous knowledge are very important for searching for new potential and resource management. The data collected for the potential use and the spatial distribution will provide new insight into modern research for sustainable management of resources.

Application of Gamma Irradiation Technology in Preservation of Food: Prospects and Challenges

Since about over a quarter of the harvested food is lost due to different types of wastage and spoilage, preservation of food is no less important than production of food. Gamma irradiation technology is one of the most appropriate and prominent technologies that can be applied in preservation of food. Gamma area science, also restrict the spoilage and wastage of castrate various maintain security of benefits gamma irradiation high power of, effortlessly, less it is and economically absence awareness, education socialisation the utilisation of gamma irradiation, there are still several societies, which think that gamma irradiation technology is hazardous and its radiation damages the proteins and genes. In fact, preservation of food using nuclear irradiation has been tested, researched and inspected and presently marketable practice in different nations. Gamma irradiation technology is still required to be advanced and it is encouraged so that it can be applied extensively through the regulation that is decided by the administrations to enhance the information of peoples about the advantage of nuclear irradiation power. It is also be considered that irradiated food and foodstuffs and the research outputs of the technology must be socialised, advertised, and published in a variability of advertising mode both in public community and scientific society, so that irradiated food and foodstuffs can be documented and recognised by various communities.

Temporal Changes in Tree Species Composition in Karsog Area of Northwest Himalaya

ABSTRACT The forests of Karsog Forest Division in Himachal Pradesh were temporally analyzed for change in tree species composition. These are based on the species composition in different communities and variations along the different altitudinal gradients. The enumeration records were procured from the forest department. Total 143 forest compartments were analyzed to study the change in tree species in thirteen delineated communities, out of which six were pure forest communities and seven were mixed forest communities. The change in density (Ind/ ha) in tree species was calculated between two enumeration years, that is 1986and 2013. Results showed that out of thirteen communities, only three pure communities viz., Pinus roxburghii, Abies pindrow and Quercus leucotrichophora showed increased density while other pure communities showed decreased density in two enumeration years. Altitudinal based study revealed that the lowest altitudinal gradient (1000-2000 m) showed increase in tree density while in 2000-3000 m zone a gradual fall in tree density was observed temporally.

Estimation of Arthropod Faunal Diversity Inhabiting Calotropis procera (W. T. Aiton) in Industrial and Non-industrial Areas of West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT The present paper explored the species richness, 5 bootstrap diversity estimates, 4 evenness measures, 6 similarity coefficients, two parametric analyses of diversity (lognormal distribution and logarithmic series) of arthropods from four insect orders (namely, Coleoptera Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and Hymenoptera,) and one arachnid order Araneae inhabiting Calotropis procera. The investigation was conducted in 15 study sites, 10 of which are around the Falta Export Processing Zone (FEPZ) and 5 from non-industrial expanses in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India. The overall mean abundance value of all the arthropod fauna of FEPZ is 69.1 percent to that of 83.0 percent from non-industrial areas, which indicates a reduction in 13.9 percent fauna in FEPZ. Impact of industrialization on species richness is observed in Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera and Lepidoptera. However, both Hemiptera and Araneae virtually show no impact from industrialisation. Results indicate that industrialisation affected the harmonic distribution of the insect community inhabiting Calotropis procera.