COLLECTION AND CONSERVATION OF INDIGENOUS TEMPERATE FRUITS DIVERSITY IN HIMALAYA

Abstract

The Indian Himalaya occupies 4,18900 sq km. climatically the area offers
a diversity of gradients, cool moist Arunachal Pradesh to cold desert ladakh
and cold dry Tibetan plateu to subtropical Indo-gangetic plains. The Himalaya
acts as barrier against monsoon winds of south and cool siberian winds of
north, the rainfall pattern varies and decreases from east to west. Different
floristic records on the Himalayan context are available (Pei 1992, Jain 1987).
Occurrence of 9000 plant species (Myers, 1988) in Eastern Himalaya reflects
the relatives richness compared ~o West Himalayan domain with 3054 species
(Dhar and Kachroo, 1983). Wild relatives of crop plant~; in the region reveal
the occurrence of 132 species in the north east, 82 in the east and 128 in the
west (Arora and Nayer, 1984). This include the species of Pyrus, Prunus, Malus,
Citrus, Rubus, Ribes, Sorbus, Myrica, Corylus, Ficus, Cydonia, Docynia, Cotoneaster,
Actinidia, Rosa, Comus, Crataegus, Punica, Cas tenia, Viburnum, Vilis, Pinus and
juglans etc. among temperate fruit plants. This rich diversity in temperate
fruits and their wild relatives is eroding fast in the recent past due to increasing
population pressure, various developmental activities like construction of roads,
hydroelectric projects, industry and deforestation by local inhabitants for their
livelihood.