Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Kuth (Saussurea lappa) cultivation in the cold desert environment of the Lahaul valley, northwestern Himalaya, India: arising threats and need to revive socio-economic values

  • Short communication
  • Published:
Biodiversity & Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Surveys were conducted in the cold desert environment of the Lahaul valley in the northwestern Himalaya for assessing the past and present status of Kuth (Saussurea lappa) cultivation. The findings reveal that this age-old practice now is in bottleneck. Main factors responsible for this setback to the species were the lengthy cultivation cycle, small land holdings, and even fluctuating and relatively low market prices. Owing to these constraints farmers have now started replacing cultivation of this threatened herb with pea (Pisum sativum L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and hop (Humulus lupulus L.). These crops obtained popularity due to comparatively more economic returns as well as their easy adaptability to the short growth season of the cold desert environment. Kuth cultivation in this region is among the interesting examples of domesticating wild medicinal herb by some innovative farmers during the 1920s. However, in the recent past farmers have been less interested to continue this practice due to its larger cultivation cycle, more profits with cash crops like pea and potato, and permit formalities at the time of export from the valley. In addition to being the oldest cash crop in the cold desert environment, Kuth is an endangered medicinal herb that has to be conserved on a priority basis. This study attempts to find out potential measures such as regular revision of market rates, development of existing uncultivable land under medicinal plant cultivation and strengthening the marketing network through establishment of federations of farmers at village level to revive cultivation of this important species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anonymous 1973. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Signed at Washington, DC on 3 March1973 and amended at Bonn, Germany on 22 June 1979.

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameAnonymous (1976) Wealth of India: Raw Materials, Vol. XI Publication and Information Directorate Council of Scientific and Industrial Research New Delhi, India 241

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameAnonymous (2000) Report of the Task Force on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plants Planning Commission, Government of India New DelhiIndia

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous 2001a. Herbal heist. Down to EarthJanuary 31, 2001, pp. 29–41.

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameAnonymous (2001b) State of Forest Report 2001 Forest Survey of India (Ministry of Environment and ForestGovernment of India) Dehradun, India

    Google Scholar 

  • D.R. Armitage (2003) ArticleTitleTraditional agro-ecological knowledgeadaptive management and the socio-politics of conservation in central SulawesiIndonesia Environmental Conservation 30 IssueID1 79–90

    Google Scholar 

  • B.S. Aswal B.N. Mehrotra (1994) Flora of Lahaul and Spiti (A cold desert in the northwest Himalaya) Bishan Singh and Mahendra Pal Singh Dehradun, India

    Google Scholar 

  • S.K. Bhadula A. Singh H. Lata C.P. Kuniyal A.N. Purohit (1996) ArticleTitleGenetic resources of Podophyllum hexandrum Roylean endangered medicinal species from Garhwal HimalayaIndia International Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 106 26–29

    Google Scholar 

  • U. Dhar R.S. Rawal S.S. Samant S. Airi J. Upreti (1999) ArticleTitlePeople’s participation in Himalayan biodiversity conservation: a practical approach Current Science 76 IssueID1 36–40

    Google Scholar 

  • U. Dhar R.S. Rawal. S. Airi I.D. Bhatt S.S. Samant (2002) ArticleTitlePromoting outreach through conservation education programmes – case study from Indian Himalayan region Current Science 82 IssueID7 808–815

    Google Scholar 

  • T.N. Khoshoo (1993) Himalayan Biodiversity conservation: an overview U. Dhar (Eds) Himalayan Biodiversity. Conservation Strategies G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Almora, India 5–38

    Google Scholar 

  • A.D. Kinghorn E.-Kyoung Seo (1996) Plants as a source of drug G. Fullar T.A. McKeon D. Bliss (Eds) Agricultural Materials as Renewable Resources: Nonfood and Industrial Applications American Chemical Society Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • C.P. Kuniyal C.R. Rajasekaran P. Prasad S.K. Bhadula (2003) ArticleTitlePropagation of Aconitum atrox (Bruhl) Muk., through tuber segments International Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 135 59–62

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Kuniyal S.C.R. Vishvakarma G.S. Singh (2004) ArticleTitleChanging crop biodiversity and resources use efficiency of traditional versus introduced crops in cold desert of northwestern Indian Himalaya: a case of Lahaul valley Biodiversity and Conservation 13 IssueID7 1271–1304

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Lopez-Puzol M. Bosch J. Simon C. Blanchi (2003) ArticleTitlePopulation genetics and conservation priorities for the critically endangered island endemic Delphinium pentagynum subsp. formenteranum (Ranunculaceae) Biodiversity and Conservation 12 1937–1951

    Google Scholar 

  • R.K. Maikhuri M.C. Nautiyal M.P. Khali (1991) ArticleTitleLesser known crops of food value in Garhwal Himalaya and strategy to conserve them International Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 86 33–36

    Google Scholar 

  • N. Maxted (2003) ArticleTitleConserving the genetic resources of crop wild relatives in European protected areas Biological Conservation 113 411–417

    Google Scholar 

  • R.K. Moraes C. Burandt SuffixJr. M. Ganzera X. Li I. Khan C. Canel (2000) ArticleTitleThe American May apple revisited Podophyllum peltatum still a potential cash crop? Economic Botany 54 IssueID4 471–476

    Google Scholar 

  • B.P. Nautiyal V. Prakash R.S. Chauhan H. Purohit M.C. Nautiyal (2001) ArticleTitleAssessment of germinability, productivity and cost benefit analysis of Picrorhiza kurrooa cultivated at lower altitudes Current Science 81 IssueID5 579–585

    Google Scholar 

  • M.P. Nayar A.R.K. Shastry (1987, 1988 and 1990) Red Data Book of Indian Plants. Three volumes Botanical Survey of India Kolkata, India

    Google Scholar 

  • A.N. Purohit (2002) Biodiversity of mountain medicinal plants and possible impacts of climatic change Ch. Korner E.M. Spehn (Eds) Biodiversity – A Global Assessment Parthenon Publishing New York

    Google Scholar 

  • G.S. Singh S.C. Ram J.C. Kuniyal (1997) ArticleTitleChanging traditional land use pattern in Great Himalaya: a case study of Lahaul valley Journal of Environmental System 25 IssueID2 195–211

    Google Scholar 

  • K.C. Thakur K.K. Raina S. Bhagwan T. Pratap (1998) Agro-biodiversity values and issues related to the domestication and farming of Kuth (Costus) by highland farmers in Lahaul valley, Himachal Pradesh, Indian Himalaya T. Pratap B. Sthapit (Eds) Managing Agro-biodiversity: Farmers Changing Perspectives and Institutional Responses in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region ICIMOD and IPGRI Kathmandu, Nepal 379–389

    Google Scholar 

  • X. Xie (2003) ArticleTitleCharacteristics and conservation priority of threatened plants in the Yangtze valley Biodiversity and Conservation 12 65–72

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chandra P. Kuniyal.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kuniyal, C.P., Rawat, Y.S., Oinam, S.S. et al. Kuth (Saussurea lappa) cultivation in the cold desert environment of the Lahaul valley, northwestern Himalaya, India: arising threats and need to revive socio-economic values. Biodivers Conserv 14, 1035–1045 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-4365-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-4365-x

Keywords

Navigation