MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTORS AND FODDER QUALITY ANALYSIS OF Hippophae salicifolia D. DON (SEABUCKTHORN) POPULATIONS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

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Date
2020-07
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NAUNI,UHF
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ABSTRACT The study entitled ‘Morphological Descriptors and Fodder Quality Analysis of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don (Seabuckthorn) Populations in Himachal Pradesh’ was conducted during the years 2018-20 with the aim to determine the variation among different populations and growing plants for morphological characteristics of plant, leaves, thorns, fruits (berries), seeds and fodder quality traits. Five female plants of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don at each site were selected at the time of fruit set i.e., during August-September, when male and female could be differentiated. The selected plants were used for the assessment the morphological variation of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don in Spiti valley and Baspa valley. Variation in morphological traits and fodder quality traits of different sites of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don within and between different populations were studied. Morphological traits (plant height, branch length, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, leaf density, number of thorns, 100 fruits fresh weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, 100 seed weight, seed length and seed width) differed positively significant among the populations. All proximate leaf composition (100 leaves fresh weight, 100 leaves dry weight, crude fiber, total dry matter content, crude protein, total ash and nitrogen free extract) showed significant difference between as well as within populations. All the qualitative characters showed significant variation among and between different populations. The highest plant height (3.34 m), highest leaf area is (4.00 cm2) and leaf density (24.20 per 10 cm) was found in Chitkul, Whereas, maximum branch length (122.67 cm), leaf length (7.07 cm), and leaf width (1.01 cm) was recorded in Kupa. Among the proximate composition maximum leaf dry matter content (60.24 %), crude fibre (16.70 %) were recorded in Badseri. On the other hand, 100 leaves fresh weight (6.65 g) in Chitkul and 100 leaves dry weight (3.48 g) in Kupa was recorded. The correlation coefficient of parameters also showed greater variations as most of quantitative and fodder quality parameters were highly negative and statistically significantly among each other’s. The coefficient of variation and other genetic parameter also signify varied between all the studied parameters. Based on quantitative, qualitative and proximate composition of different population of different sites, the population of Badseri and Kupa sites were found more promising for growth habit, plant vigour, density of shoot, number of thorns and length of thorns. Due to tremendous variability in population, the population can be used for future variability approaches and programmes and for preparation of DUS guidelines of this species. It is suggested that for further propagation programmes, genepools from Sangla should be used and it can be planted on wastelands to develop grazing areas for sheep and goats and harvesting of fruits forSeabuckthorn value addition chain.
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