Ecology and Physiological Features of Salvadora Persica Linn. in Indian Arid Region

S. persica is a multipurpose tree with immense ethno ecological importance and is commonly used for varied medicinal purposes. It is one of the identified plants from among the seventeen plants families that are cited in the Holy Quran. The plant is used as a source of food, fodder, lipids, gum and resins. In addition, it is also valued for rearing honey bees. Its roots are regularly used as tooth brush throughout the country. Besides these the plant is also grown to provide shelter belts and windbreakes for agriculture crops. It is distributed throughout the arid and semi arid ecosystem of world and helps in reclamation of sand dune habitats and saline soils in arid ecosystems. However, its population suffers from serious environmental problems such as deforestation, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity and unsustainable livelihoods. S. persica has high medicinal, economic and ecological values in arid and semiarid ecosystem. Nevertheless, its conservation status is highly threatened and detailed ecological study of S. persica is suggested to conserve its remaining population. Miswak Salvadora Persica is an important shrub small tree of the Indian sub continent. Due to its multipurpose use it has been exploited ruthlessly by all the sections of the society since decades which has endangered its status. Because of its great medicinal properties it has been in heavy demand in the Indian Herbal Drug Industry. Its branches are commonly used as tooth brush in villages and rural area of the country. Apart from its medicinal benefits it can also be utilized for carbon storage and sequestration for long durations thus, helps in our fight against Global Warming and Climate Change. As the shrub tree has become endangered all steps need to be taken to conserve this important species otherwise a time would come when we would be devoid of its multiple benefits. Plant Tissue Culture is an excellent technique for large scale propagation of this tree species and at present there are various protocols available in public domain for its mass multiplication but none of the protocols has been utilized to restore the plant status till date. Serious efforts by Government Central and State are required for mass multiplication of the species on one hand and conservation of its germplasm on the other. Bharati Pareek "Ecology & Physiological Features of Salvadora Persica (Linn.) in Indian Arid Region" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-3 , April 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd49820.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/biological-science/botany/49820/ecology-and-physiological-features-of-salvadora-persica-linn-in-indian-arid-region/bharati-pareek