ЭлБиб

Селекция и семеноводство

Seabuckthorn grows on the pasturelands of the village Raling. Majority of the plants in this valley are females and vary in

height form 1 m to 3 m. Fruits are of small size (15-18 g/100 fruits) and red in colour. The only species,

H. rhamnoides

which grows in this valley, has about 5-8 ha of land under its stands. Bhaga valley:

Bhaga valley is comparatively more brosder than Chandra valley and is inhibitated by rich resources of Seabuckthorn.

H. rhamnoides

grows dominantly in this valley, however

H.salicifolia

also grows in few sites. From the meeting point of

Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi, Bhaga river is first extended upto 8 km towards the east direction. Both slopes are

characterized by the presence of Seabuckthorn vegetation. In billing and Keylong villages, all the plants are males. Tall

trees (10-12 m) grows in Kardung village located at higher altitude on southern slope just opposite to Keylong. Ahead of

Kelong, seabuckthorn grows on northern slope making an association with J. macropoda trees in Urnatft Seabuckthorn

mainly grows on the river beds banks, slopes and as a component of agroforestry systems, making association with

macropoda

R.webbiana, L quinquelocularis

and

A dracunculus

and agricultural crops, peas, potatoes, barley and wheat.

Farmers have also carried out massive afforestation of

S.daphnoides.

In some localities,

P.niqra

have also been planted.

Myricaria squamosa shrub grows dominantly on river bed along with seabuckthorn, particularly from Gemur to Darcha.

Seabuckthorn is almost non existent on the eastern slope. This steep slope is characterized by the presence of scat

tered trees of

B.utilis

growing at high altitudes. However at the base of the eastern slope, a big and dense stand of

H.sali

cifolia

grows on the flat area of the village Tinu. This stand is characterized by well managed tall trees (7m) in height and

largest fruits (39-42 g/100 fruits) of yellow colour (Singh, 1994). Majority of the plants are females. Seabuckthorn also

grows in this village as wind breaks and shelterbelt and as a component of silvipostoral systems. Grasses gain better

growth under seabuckthorn trees man willow trees. Natural forest is not available around this village, hence fanners con

tinue to cultivate Seabuckthorn and willow trees as potential sources of fuelwood, fodder and timber. Majority of the plants

are females. Atleast 15-20 ha area is under the vegetation of Seabuckthorn trees in this village.

Several good stands of

H.rhamnoidest

5-10 ha in areas, grows on both sides of bhaga river form Gemur to Darcha. In

Gemur village, farmers have well managed Seabuckthorn stands growing on their pasturelands. Plants gain a height of 4-

5 m after 7-8 years of growth and then spread 1-2 m horizontally. However fanners manage their canopies by lopping them

in the month of April. Fruit size is small to large (15-25 g/100 fruits). Large size fruits ( 26 g/100 fruits) were found grow

ing on river bed in Darcha (3160 m). fruit size is generally greater in the plants growing on the sandy river present study

deals with the geographical distribution of seabuckthorn in Indian Himalayas.

GEOGRAPHY OF THE REGION

Lahaul-Spiti

The district of Lahaul-Spiti lies between north latitude 310 44 57 and 330 42 54 and East longitude 76 56 29 and 78 41

34 in Himaehal Pradesh State. It is surrounded by Tibet state of China and Kinnour district in the east and Ladakh region

of Jammu and Kashmir state in the north on the southern side, it is adjoined by Chamba and Kullu districts and on the west

by Chamba district (Fig. 1). Lahaul district comprises maily of two subdivisions or valleys, Lahaul and Spiti. The Kunzam

Lapass (4740 m altitude) keeps these two regions from each other for more than 8 months in a year. Upper region of adja

cent Kinnaur and Chamba (Pangl) are also included in this cold desert region comprising about 40

area of Himaehal

Pradesft

Lahaul comprises an area of 6097 sq. km. And is situated on the western side of the district. The tract is mountainous

and rugged with the inner Himalayas lying on the north and mid-Himalayas lying to the south with connecting ranges in

east and west except for small opening in the west through which the Chenab river passes. The rise of mountains aver

ages about 5480 m, highest peak reaching 6400 m. the river Chenab starts from Baralacha pass at 4891 m, where the two

sources of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers are about 1.6 km apart and start off in opposite directions making Chandra and

Bhaga valleys till they meet at Tandi (2958m) making a common river Chandra Bhaga or Chenab, which folws down

through Chamba to Kashmir (Fig 2). The total lengths of Chandra, Bhaga and Chenab rivers in the district are 12, 64 and

101 kms respectively. The first 80 and 48 kms of Chandra and Bhaga valleys respectively are barren and uninhabitated. A

30 km long Mayar river making mayar valley joins Chenab at Udaipur from M>nH. Lahaul is enclosed between high moun

tains, which forms a barrier against monsoon rains. Rain falls fluctuates from 100 to 700 mm per year depending on place

to place. Most of the rain falls occurs during July-September. The winter is very cold and starts from the month of

November and continuous till mid-April. This is followed by a short spell of spring (mid-April-mid-May) and a bigger sum

mer (May-October). The mean temperature in Kelong, district headquarter and center place of Lahaul is given in Fig. 3,

which shows considerable variation in temperature throughout me year (a maximum of 27 C in July and minimum of -16 C

in February). During the winter this region is affected by a series of western disturbances, which causes heavy snowfall

(200-400 cm per year) (Pandey, 1984). The soil of the region is sandy loam and varies from few centimeters to about one

meter. The dry conditions ofthr region are responsible for the occurrence of the forest patches of Betula utilis, Abies

pindrow, Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana, Cedrus deodara and Juniperus macropada. Fanners have also raised planta

tions od willow

(Salixdaphnoides).

Poplar

(Populus

sp.) and walnut

(Juglansregw).

Important shrubs are

Hippophae

spp.,

Rosa webbiana

Fraxinus xanthoxyloidest Cotonneaster

spp. and

Lonicera quinqualocidaris.

Peas, potato and hops are

important cash crops, which are cultivated by over 14000 tribal fanners of the region. Lahaul has a mix culture of Hindu-

Bodhists. Education is quite high and farmers are very progressive.

Spiti, a cold desert valley adjoins Tibet on its eastern border and Ladakh on its north. At base, the altitude varies from

3120 m at Sumdoh to 5000 m asl near Kunjam pass. The altitude of mountains varies from 6100 to 7000 m asl. Spin river

forms the main Spiti valley, which is borne from a glacier near Kunjam La pass at 5000 m asl. Spiti river covers 181 km and

merge into Saduj river at Khab (2560 m asl) in Kinnaur district. Spin is a broad and flat valley, which is intersected by high

vertical cliffs of black, grey and brown sand. Alpine pastures are found at the higher slopes. Exception seabuckthorn grow

ing on riversides and higher slopes, there is no woody plants in the valley. Another habitated small valley. Pin valley is Pin

valley, which is 50 km in the soutff. However, under Desert development Programme, plantations of willow, poplar and

rubinia have been raised by the state government. Rainfall rarely crosses to 100 mm/yr, however snowfall starts as early

as September and extends to April. The winter temperature may drop to -20 eC. There are were 11,781 persons in 1991,

all Bodhists of Mongolian origin. The houses are made of mud with lower storey meant for animals.

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