Kargil: Department of Botany, GDC Kargil on Thursday conducted a day long collection trip to Suru Valley focusing on the collection and conservation of vital medicinal plant species as part of the curriculum for students of different Semesters.
About 50 students participated in this collection activity. Fourth-semester students undertook the collection of seabuckthorn (Hippophae sp) stem cuttings, an essential component of their minor project work. Seabuckthorn is renowned for its nutritional and medicinal properties, including its use in traditional remedies and potential in environmental conservation efforts.
Accompanying them, students from the second and sixth semesters gathered propagules of significant medicinal plants such as Podophyllum hexandrum (Himalayan Mayapple), Ephedra sp (joint pine), Taraxacum sp (dandelion), and Artemisia (wormwood) etc. These species are known for their therapeutic uses and play a crucial role in traditional medicine.
The collected specimens are intended to aid in the revitalization of the department’s botanical garden, serving both educational and conservation purposes.
Prior to the trip, fourth-semester students prepared cultivation beds within the botanical garden to accommodate the newly collected plants, ensuring a conducive environment for their growth and study.
The field trip was led by the faculty members of the department: Assistant Professors Razia Parveen, Rinchen Angmo, and Dr. Tsetan Dolker. Throughout the journey, they provided insightful briefings on the diverse plant species native to Suru Valley, emphasizing their ecological and medicinal significance.
On the return journey, students also collected manure from the Sheep Husbandry Department in Khumbathang, Kargil, to enrich the soil of the botanical garden, thereby enhancing plant cultivation efforts.
This hands-on experience not only enriched the students’ understanding of plant biodiversity and conservation techniques but also underscored the importance of preserving medicinal plant species native to the region.
