Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 6 (7), pp. 001-006, July, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Actinorhizal plants of Kumaun Himalaya and their ecological significance

Kiran Bargali

Department of Botany, Kumaun University (K.U.) Nainital-263002, Uttarakhand, India. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 21 June, 2020

Abstract

Actinorhizal plants are important in having symbiotic association with actinomycete Frankia. Nitrogen (N)   fixation by actinorhizal plants is a major source of fixed N in diverse and widespread ecosystems including forests, bogs, swamps, coastal dunes, landslides, glacial deposits, shrublands, prairies and deserts. They play important roles in wild land ecosystem function and are used in land reclamation, range management, forestry, agroforestry and horticulture. In this study, 8 actinorhizal plants of Kumaun Himalayan region have been described. Habit, habitat, distribution and possible ecological significance of these plants are also described. These plants are not only important for the restoration of degraded lands, but also provide good source of timber, fuel wood, fodder, food and medicines, etc.

Key words: Actinorhizal, degraded, nitrogen, plantation, reclamation.