NURSERY TECHNIQUE FOR SUSTAINABLE PLANTATIONS OF GUGGUL (COMMIPHORA WIGHTII) IN ARID REGION (KACHCHH) OF GUJARAT

摘要

Scarcity of water, high temperature coupled with high light intensity are few environmental parameters in which the plants of arid regions are well adapted. The plants that have naturalized to such harsh conditions are quite specialized in their growth habit. Commiphora wightii (guggul) is deciduous shrubs looking like balsamiferous small trees of rocky and sandy desert fringe areas. The species is on the verge of extinction due to overexploitation, illegal and unscientific oleogum-resin collection.Guggul is a medicinally important native plant with hypocholesterolamic properties, used commercially in perfumery, calico-printing, dyeing silk and cotton and as an incense (Singh and Singh, 2006) and whole plant used to cure asthma, neurological complaints and ulcers (Pandey et al., 2005).