Kusum Payal

Ethnobotanical and economic studies endorse Allium stracheyi Baker, of the Alliaceae family, for future food and health security. The species is important to the socio-cultural, spiritual, and medicinal lives of the indigenous Himalayan people and those in the surrounding urban and peri-urban areas. The species is used by the indigenous Bhotiya people as a flavoring, spice/condiment (Jambu Faran), and a remedy for colds/coughs, jaundice, stomachaches, and various other ailments. A perennial, medicinal, and aromatic plant (MAP) species, A. stracheyi is harvested two or three times annually and is categorized as an endemic and endangered species. It has a high value and represents an important cultural element in the lives of indigenous Bhotiya folk living in the mountains of Central Himalaya, India. Among medicinal and aromatic plants, A. stracheyi is an economic indicator of the plant-based economy and tradition of Bhotiya ethnic groups in the Niti and Mana Valleys of Uttarakhand, India.

Allium stracheyi Baker (Alliaceae, 2600–3000 m asl), an endangered species of Central Himalaya, India, has low seed germination in its natural habitat. This study is an attempt to improve seed germination by determining the seed viability with a low mean germination time (MGT) and germination index (GI) under optimum temperature, light, and pre-soaking treatments. The seeds were pre-soaked in hot water (80°C), cold water (10°C), and gibberellic acid (GA₃ at 50 and 100 mg/l) for 24 h and subjected to light (12 h light and 12 h dark) and continuous dark (24 h) conditions with different temperature regimes (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30°C). The viability varied between 66.0% and 69.67% and declined rapidly after 12 months of storage. Our studies suggest that the 100 mg/l GA₃ treatment was beneficial for seed germination and seedling growth. Pre-soaking in a 100 mg/l GA₃ solution and incubation at 20°C under light conditions enhanced the germination significantly (p < 0.05) and resulted in the highest (97.3%) germination with the lowest MGT = 5.7 days, with GI = 8.11. The recommendations of this study support the conservation of alpine A. stracheyi via simple and cost-effective techniques for optimal seed germination.

Rheum emodi Wall. ex Meissn (Polygonaceae) is a plant of Garhwal Himalaya reported to be endangered due to over-exploitation for medicinal use and poor seed germination and seedling survival in nature. To determine the optimum germination conditions for this Himalayan medicinal herb, seeds were hot-water pre-treated (80°C then cooling overnight), cold-water pre-treated (10°C left overnight) or placed in a range of gibberellic acid (GA₃) concentrations (0.3, 0.6, 0.9 μM) for 24 h. Control seeds were untreated. The seeds were subjected to two light regimes (16:8 h alternate light:dark and continuous dark) at three temperatures (15, 20, 25°C). The highest germination (83.3%) occurred following hot-water pre-treatment and incubation under 16:8 h alternate light:dark conditions at 15°C, with a reduced mean germination time (MGT) of 8 d. The second highest germination (80%) was recorded under dark conditions at 15°C with cold-water pre-treatment with MGT of 11.3 d. The present study indicates a low germination temperature (≥ 15°C), which is the normal temperature in the study area, and light for improved seed germination of R. emodi. Farmers can also use hot-water pre-treatment prior to sowing the seeds.