The Garden functions as an educational display of medicinal plants herbs and spices and also as a conservatiory source of standard specimens. The garden of the institute is located at 18.34° N and 73.37° E. and 555 m. altitude, comprises of total 19.5 acres of land which is separated by Pune Municipal Corporation (P.M.C.) road. Garden is divided in two portions i.e. the upper garden and the lower garden. The upper garden is about 11 acres comprising mostly of hilly area having undulating slopes from the top of the hill. The soil is mostly rocky, laterite (murrum) and poor black cotton shallow. Main building and laboratories are also located in this portion. The lower portion comprises of about 8.5 acres of land having almost plain, black cotton soil with about 5 – 6 ft. depth. The edaphic conditions of lower portion are suitable for deep rooted plants. Since the upper portion is subjected to soil erosion, two checkbunds have been raised. The rocky portion usually supports growth of shallow rooted plants. Demonstrative Medicinal Plant Garden: Demonstrative Garden has been developed in the lower part and being maintained with about 375 species, out of which 293 are of medicinal importance. These include about 146 species enlisted in Ayurvedic Formulary Part I, published by the Govt. of India. Majority of these are tropical species growing wild in different parts of India are planted for demonstration purpose. Some important herbs and climbers are grown in beds of 3m x 3m, whereas the rest are scattered. The main attraction of the garden for the people interested in Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants is the representation of some important taxa of different eco-climatic condition e.g., Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari (Guggulu), a valuable endangered species of arid climate, Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde (Ashoka), Kamphaeria galanga L., species of Piper, Asparagus, etc. along with important medicinal plants found in Maharashtra & adjoining areas. Monoculture of important species of medicinal plants mostly of Ayurvedic importance have been demarcated as: Guggulu Vatika, Ashoka Vatika, Gambhari Vatika, Bilva Vatika, Shatavari Vatika, Ketaki Kunja, Karvira Vatika, Nirgundi Vatika, etc. Prioritized medicinal plants by National Medicinal Plants Board (Govt. of India). Efforts have been made to exhibit and demonstrate these plants separately as far as possible. Conservation of Medicinal Plants : Steps have been taken to multiply and conserve depleting, vulnerable and threatened medicinal plants. Some of such species being multiplied and grown in the garden include Rauvolfia serpentina Benth. Ex Kurz. (Sarpagandha), Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari (Guggulu), Gloriosa superba L. (Langali), Aristolochia indica L. (Ishwari), Hemidesmus indicus R.Br.(Sariva), Paederia foetida Benth (Gandha-Prasarini) , Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde (Ashoka), Gmelina arborea Linn. (Gambhari) etc. Experimental Cultivation: Ayurvedic crude drugs of plant origin have so far been being collected from wild sources. Due to vast depletion of medicinal species, over-exploitation and destruction of forests, it has now become necessary to cultivate them on mass scale and hence their propagation, multiplication and agrotechniques need to be standardised. Experimental studies related to seed germination and vegetative propagation have been undertaken on a number of medicinal species and protocols of cultivation practices of a few are developed also and 33 research papers are published in research Journals. Besides this effect of hormones, fertilizers and manures etc. on growth and yield were also studied. Some of the plants taken up for such type of studies in the past or during present programme include Asparagus racemosus Willd. (Shatavari), Psoralea corylifolia Linn. (Bakuchi), Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. (Sariva), Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso (Trivrita), Helicteres isora L. (Avartani), Rauvolfia serpentina Benth. (Sarpagandha), Andrographis paniculata Nees (Kalmegha), Celastrus paniculatus Willd. (Jyotishmati), Gmelina arborea Linn. (Gambhari), Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari (Guggulu), Mucuna Pruriens (L.) DC. (Kapikachchhu), Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers, (Guduchi), Desmodium gangeticum DC. (Shalaparni), Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell (Brahmi) etc. Supply of Crude Drugs/Seeds : More than 2300 Kg of dried crude drugs have been supplied in different parts of the Country to various units of the Council and other organizations for Research purposes. Efforts are made to collect fruits / seeds of important medicinal plants with a view to develop a seed bank to facilitate exchange of planting material with other gardens and also to supply institutions interested in seeds/planting material. Besides this the Institute has also supplied seeds of 63 medicinal species to National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, for conservation in gene bank. Seeds/fruits of 32 species have been sent to the Council (HQrs.) for development of Vietnam- Indofriendship garden of medicinal plants in Vietnam during June 2001. Planting Material : Planting material including seeds, seedlings and cuttings etc. of important medicinal plants were provided free of cost except Guggulu saplings to academic institutions, to create awareness, encourage planting and facilitate development of medicinal plants garden for educative purpose before 2002. Since year 2002 institute is maintaining a separate nursery of important medicinal species. The seedlings of these species are being sold at the rates prescribed by Council. So far the institute has earned Rs. 80,792 under recourse generation. The garden is open to the public. Guided tours can be requested by contacting: Dr Rajesh Dabur, RO In-Charge Or Dr TK Mandal, Download |
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