This book is being published for those who are interested in growing, processing and trading of medicinal plants as herbal drugs. The importance of Medicinal plants in India has been increasingly recognized by agriculturalists and Pharmaceuticals, during past two decades. During the past decade, demand for medicinal plants and its products has attracted the worldwide interest, India being the treasure house of Biodiversity, accounts for 8000 species which are used in 10,000 herbal drugs. Ninety percent of herbal industry's requirement of raw material is taken out from the forests, resulting in to the ruthless exploitation and destruction of its natural habitats. Thus to take pressure off from natural forest the medicinal plants have been brought under cultivation to enhance their conservation. Cultivation of these precious bio wealth for sustainable utilization is essential. Our knowledge about the medicinal & aromatic plants are still inadequate & need further investigation. This edited book contains most of the aspects related to medicinal and aromatic plants. This book will providing a comprehensive literature on agro-techniques, pest & nutrients management, post harvest practices, active ingredient & its uses, marketing patterns etc which will be really useful for growers and industry people involved in the use of medicinal & aromatic plants.
Vinod Kumar Agrawal, Ph. D. (Plant Physiology) is a Professor and Head, Department of Crop & Herbal Physiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidhyalaya (JNKVV) Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. Basically he is a Plant Physiologist, having research, teaching and extension experience of more than 35 years. He is a leader of Medicinal & Aromatic Plats R & D Unit at JNKVV, Jabalpur that has name and fame in collecting, conserving and domesticating valuable medicinal biodiversity not only in the State but also in the country. Recently ICAR has sanctioned a niche area of excellence in medicinal & Aromatic Plants to JNKVV under the leadership of Dr. Agrawal. About fifty research papers and many popular articles have been contributed by him in the field of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants. He has been instrumental in organizing Trainings, Workshops, Seminars and Symposia on Medicinal & Aromatic Plants as secretary; hence playing a key role in of Agricultural Human Resource Development (AHRD) to promote medicinal plant based crop diversification.
Sunil Dutta Upadhyaya , Ph.D.(Botany) with specialization in Ecology is a Professor (Agril. Botany & Crop Physiology) Deptt. of Crop & Herbal Physiology, JNKVV, Jabalpur, MP, INDIA. He did his Postdoctoral degree from University of Florida, USA in Forestry (1987-1988) and Advance training in Agroforestry Management from University of New England, Australia (1997). His significant contribution in wasteland development through agroforestry at Madhya Pradesh include his direction as PI of the project on Technology Development, Extension in Agro forestry for Wasteland Development sponsored by Ministry of Rural Development, GOI, New Delhi. He has 25 years of experience in teaching, research and extension in the field of Medicinal Plants & Agroforestry. Presently he is PI of ICAR Network Project on “Impact, Adaptation and Vulnerability of Climate Change on Agro-biodiversity ”. He has 40 research papers in his credit in referred Journals of Plant Science.
