Introduction and Collection of Plant Genetic Resources of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and their Utilization

Abstract

The Division of Germplasm Exchange successfully introduced a broad spectrum
ofgenetic diversity comprising well over 1160 accessions in 96 genera and 275
species of different medicinal and aromatic plants (1976-1986) from 38 countries
of the world, under phytosanitary conditions.
The entire range of exotic medicinal and aromatic materials imported was not
used and conserved by any single agency. Collections were maintained to the
extent possible at different institutions and locations by the specialists/scientists
concerned with these crops throughout the country. The pharmaceutical industries
were dependent on the collections of raw materials from wild sources
both in India as well as abroad. As such, several of the plant collections under
cultivation were introduced from countries like USA, USSR, Hungary, GDR,
FDR, Japan, Poland, United Kingdom,