Floristic Structure, Composition and Functional Characteristics of Homegardensin Garhwal Region, Uttarakhand, India

In the present investigation was carried out to access the floristic structure, composition and functional characteristics of homegardens in Garhwal region, Uttarakhand during 2013–14. Here, we had selected two districts on the basis of maximum (Uttarkashi) and minimum (Rudraprayag) geographical area of the state. The result showed that floristic tree diversity was maximum contributed by agroforestry crops (64%, 53.84%, 62.5%, 66.7%) and followed by horticulture crops (36%, 46.16%, 37%, 33.3%) with respect to Malkhi, Khumera, Kurura and Panchan gaun village respectively. The contribution of forest and van panchayat for fuel-wood were 13.5 and 5 kg, 11.5 and 6.5 and 2.6 and 6.2 kg/day for group of farmers during rainy, winter and summer seasons, respectively. We observed that 35 species of trees (forest trees+ fruit trees), 18 species of agriculture crops, 13 species of vegetable crops, 9 species of grasses and 13 species of shrub were identified from the study area.

Homegardens represent intimate, multistory combinations of various perennial and annual crops, sometimes in association with domestic animals, around the homestead which serves as a permanent or temporary

The result showed that floristic tree diversity was maximum contributed by agroforestry crops (64%, 53.84%, 62.5%, 66.7%) and followed by horticulture crops (36%, 46.16%, 37%, 33.3%) with respect to Malkhi, Khumera, Kurura and Panchan gaun village respectively.

Total floristic diversity was observed 35 species of trees (forest trees+ fruit trees), 18 species of agriculture crops, 13 species of vegetable crops, 9 species of grasses and 13 species of shrub.