A study of physiological and biochemical variability of 12 collections of Tinospora cordifolia was carried out during 2008–09. Survey was conducted in different locations in district Kangra during April-May, 2008. Stems pieces of T. cordifolia were collected from 12 different altitudes of district Kangra. Collections consisting of stem pieces of equal length and uniform diameter were taken. The dried stem powder of T. cordifolia was analyzed for their biochemical constituents. The pot trial was also carried out by vegetative propagation in the month of May 2008 for physiological parameters. Significant variations in physiological as well as biochemical parameters were observed. Plant length, plant diameter and leaf area were recorded at 75 days interval. Length of the plant varied from 125.33 (Collection-8) to 190.33 (Collection-11) cm; diameter of the plant varied from 0.783 (Collection-8) to 0.953 (Collection-9) cm and leaf area of the plant varied from 153.68 (Collection-2) to 237.63 (Collection-9) cm2. Fresh stem of T. cordifolia collections showed wide range of moisture content that varied from 70.71 (Collection-6) to 79.12% (Collection-9); fat content ranged from 1.29 (Collection-3) to 2.46% (Collection-9); dry stem of T. cordifolia collections showed wide range of total carbohydrate content ranging from 27.52 (Collection-10) to 40.06% (Collection-l); total starch content ranged from 1.27 (Collection-4) to 2.95% (Collection-7) and total sugar content that varied from 5.39 (Collection-8) to 8.22% (Collection-l). Conclusively, based on the performance between different parameters, Collection-9, Collection-l and Collection-11 have emerged to be the best collections which can be utilized further.
Altitudes, Collections, Stem pieces of T. cordifolia, Survey
