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Underutilized Vegetable Species of Indian Himalayas

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Neglected and Underutilized Crops - Towards Nutritional Security and Sustainability

Abstract

Phytomedicine has always been a source of cure and prevention of human and animal diseases. Since antiquity man has been exploiting wild plant species as food and to sustain health. While few of these species have gradually been domesticated, many continue to remain wild while playing pivotal role in tribal food, feed and folklore medicine. India being among the most flora rich countries of the world is host to hundreds of wild plant species with established health benefits well known to the indigenous tribes and locals but remain largely untapped. However, growing awareness about bioactive phyto-compounds and their role in prevention and cure of modern human diseases and disorders is steadily bringing such underutilized plant species to a significant place in modern pharmaceutical and medical research. Considering such a scenario, the aim of writing this chapter is to highlight indigenous species of Indian North-Western Himalayan states and territories with respect to their health promoting attributes and potential application in the practice of alternative as well as mainstream medicine.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vegetable Science, ICAR-Central Institute of temperate Horticulture (CITH), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Geetika Malik

  2. ICAR-Central Institute of temperate Horticulture (CITH), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    D. B. Singh

  3. Division of Vegetable Science, SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Ajaz Ahmed Malik & Ariza Gulzar

Authors
  1. Geetika Malik
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  2. D. B. Singh
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  3. Ajaz Ahmed Malik
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  4. Ariza Gulzar
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Plant Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Sajad Majeed Zargar

  2. Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and the Environment (DAFNAE), Università degli studi di Padova, Padova, Italy

    Antonio Masi

  3. School of Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Romesh Kumar Salgotra

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Malik, G., Singh, D.B., Malik, A.A., Gulzar, A. (2021). Underutilized Vegetable Species of Indian Himalayas. In: Zargar, S.M., Masi, A., Salgotra, R.K. (eds) Neglected and Underutilized Crops - Towards Nutritional Security and Sustainability. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3876-3_4

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