Efficient propagation methods and management implication of Aconitum chasmanthum stapf ex holmes: A critically endangered and endemic medicinal herb of Kashmir Himalaya

Knowledge about propagation of rare and endangered plant species is very important for their conservation and sustainable utilization. Therefore, it is imperative to understand different reproductive aspects of such species for their conservation and management. It is in this backdrop different propagation method of Aconitum chasmanthum- a Critically Endangered and Endemic Medicinal plant species has been undertaken.

Seed germination was carried out using different media. For each treatment mean germination time (MGT) was also calculated. Different agro-techniques were also developed in different soil textural classes. The fresh underground tubers of the species were collected from natural population and were split longitudinally into 2, 3 and 4 pieces depending upon the size of the parental tuber containing a portion of shoot apex. The split cuttings were treated with 100 ppm IAA, IBA and GA3 for 48 hours and were sown in sandy loam soils under pots at Herbal Garden. The pots were kept in diffused light to monitor the leafy shoot generation, survival and comparison with the control (untreated cuttings).

The present study revealed that seeds of the species remain dormant for a pretty long period and do not germinate in darker conditions. Among various treatments the species showed 90.0±8.66% germination when chilled for 20 days with mean germination time (MGT) of 13.678±1.874 days as against 10.66±1.154% germination of the control. Although the plants grew nicely on various soils, maximum plant survival and vigorous growth was obtained in loamy textured soils. The plants responded to various nutrient treatments and in loamy soil the maximum dry biomass was shown by the plants treated with nitrogen (300 mg/kg soil) and NPK (500 mg/kg soil). The plants treated with NPK (500 mg/kg soil) produced 14.46±2.50 gm dry biomass as against the control of 5.23±0.750 gm per individual. The experimental manipulations also reveal that the species has a potential to propagate through tuber cuttings in sandy loam soils. The cuttings treated with IAA, IBA and GA3 showed 68.75% to 75.0% survival rate as against the 62.5% in control.