Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

MYRICA ESCULENTA WILD EDIBLE FRUIT OF INDIAN HIMALAYA: NEED A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH FOR INDIGENOUS UTILIZATION

Yogendra Singh Gusain and Vinod Prasad Khanduri

Abstract

Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don is a popular, potentially income-generating wild edible tree species in the Indian Himalaya. Almost all the part of the tree has medicinal properties. The fruit is eaten as raw and can be used for the production of several kind of by product. Due to overexploitation by the endogenous people for their daily need and commercial income generating value, the species is poorly regenerating in their natural habitat and pose a threat for extinction. The effective scientific technology for the rapid multiplication and propagation of species are still poor. Therefore it is a need of serious scientific intervention for their multiplication, establishment in natural habitat and need of an approach for sustainable utilization by endogenous people.