About 20 per cent of the world’s total population is residing in the mountains and this proportion is likely to increase in the present century as environmental degradation and pollution is driving the human population for settlement in the clean and serene environment of the mountains. Himalayan region has sizeable area in countries like India, China/Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan etc. Remarkable progress has been made on agro-animal research and development all over the globe. However, Higher-Himalayan Regions (>3,000 m MSL) which reserve unique flora and fauna have attracted little attention so far. The present volume is created to highlight the unique agro-animal wealth of the region to enable the researchers, policymakers and other agencies for conserving and utilizing the rare and valuable resources for the welfare of the mankind. The book covers 25 chapters on soil, climate, crops (field, fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicinal and forest), animals (yak, pashmina, double humped camel, sheep, poultry etc.) and their latest production technologies with traditional knowledge and possibilities of using modern scientific tools. The contributions for the present volume have been made by 36 eminent researchers belonging to 12 institutions/universities. The chapters are scientifically planned and cover exhaustive information on the subject. Put together the volume presents a wide range of latest R&D highlights on unique topics on plants/animals for sustainable development of Higher-Himalayas.
Dr. Deepa H. Dwivedi (Email-deepahansraj@rediffmail.com), presently Reader at Department of Applied Plant Sciences, BBA University, Lucknow (UP), is an alumni of GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar. She started her carrier as Assistant Professor (Horticulture) from Sher–e–Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Srinagar (J&K) and worked for over four years on fruit and flower crops in the cold arid Ladakh. She also handled research projects on characterization of apricot oil. She has guided number of Ph.D. & M.Sc. thesis research besides having 23 research publications and 5 book chapters to her credit. She is life member in 5 professional societies and is a member in executive council/editorial board of two journals. Her current research focus is on the underutilized crops and plant bioregulators.
Dr. Sanjai K.Dwivedi (Email-sanjaifrldrdo@rediffmail.com) is a Scientist in Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Government of India. He has studied the Higher Himalayas for propagation, conservation of genetic diversity and processing of horticultural crops, especially seabuckthorn and apricot. He has 5 patents and 2 books, 50 research publications to his credit besides 10 chapters in books, 5 monographs/bulletins and 75 popular articles. Dr. Dwivedi is life member in 6 professional societies, member of editorial board, and executive council in 3 societies. He is recipient of 5 gold medals, HSI Golden Jubilee Students’ Award and two prestigious National Awards, namely, Fakharuddin Ali Ahmed Award (ICAR) and DRDO Young Scientist Award. <><> Dr. Sandhya Gupta (Email-sandhya_gupta87@ yahoo.com) is a Senior Scientist at Tissue Culture and Cryopreservation Unit, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi. She did her M.Phil. from University of Delhi and Ph.D. from IIT Delhi. She has been involved in the in vitro conservation of temperate fruit crops since 1995. She has been awarded Overseas Biotechnology Associateship from DBT, Govt. of India for research on cryopreservation of Rubus species at US Department of Agriculture-ARS-NCGR, Corvallis, Oregon, USA. She has many publications to her credit. She is editor of Journal of Indian Plant Genetic Resources. Presently, her area of research work is cryopreservation of in vitro germplasm of temperate & minor fruits. She is member of International Society of Horticultural Society (ISHS) and Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources and The Horticultural Society of India.
