Published on: 1 st Oct 2012 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOLK-BIOLOGY OF GRASSES IN NORTH SAURASHTRA AND SOUTH SAURASHTRA

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1 Published on: 1 st Oct COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FOLK-BIOLOGY OF GRASSES IN NORTH SAURASHTRA AND SOUTH SAURASHTRA VIVEK VEGDA AND H.A.PANDYA DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, SCHOOL OF SCIENCES, GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD 38 9, GUJARAT, INDIA. ABSTRACT: Grasses (Poaceae) are integral part of social, cultural, economic, and ecological system of mankind since time immemorial. Grasses are primary need of social, cultural, economic, and ecological system of mankind since time immemorial. Traditional knowledge typically distinguishes one community from another. For some communities, traditional knowledge takes on a personal and spiritual meaning. The grasses serve important catchments for village pond because they are efficient in absorbing rain water and they prevent soil erosion. Native people of the local area having a good knowledge about grasses and their utilizations in different ways. KEY WORD: Folk biology, Ethnobotany, Grasses, Grassland conservation. INTRODUCTION: Poaceae forms the most fascinating grass family of flowering plants, with a wide range of diversity and plays a significant role in the lives of human beings and animals. Poaceae is the most important plant family of food crops, including the cereals viz; wheat (Triticum), corn (Zea) and rice (Oryza). Folk biology is the cognitive study of how people classify and reason about the organic world. Traditional Knowledge (TK) commonly refers to knowledge associated with the environment, daily activities and livelihood of mankind, for example, religious celebrations, artworks, handicrafts curing diseases using plant materials, elements of folklore and other cultural works and expressions. STUDY AREA: Geographical Areas of North Saurashtra zone include Jamnagar district, part of Rajkot district (Padadhari Lodhika, Jasdan, Rajkot, Wankaner, Morvi, Jamkandorna and Kotda Sangani talukas, part of Surendranagar district (Wadhvan, Muli,Chotila and Salya talukas) and part of Bhavnagar district (Gadhada, Umrala, and Botad talukas). Average rain fall of this zone is -7 mm (Agriculture and co PEER-REVIEWED Page 67

2 operation Department, Government of Gujarat, 8). It is having shallow, medium black with clay loam to clay textured soil. Geographical Areas of South Saurashtra cover Junagadh district and it also include part of Bhavnagar district (Sihor, Ghogha, Savarkundla, Gariadhar, Palitana, Talaja, and Mahuva talukas), part of Amreli district (Dhari, Kodinar, Rajula, Jafrabad, Khambha, Amreli, Babra, Lilia, Lathi and Kunkavav talukas) and part of Rajkot district (Jetpur, Dhoraji Upleta and Gondal talukas). Average rain fall of this region is mm (Agriculture and co operation Department, Government of Gujarat, 8). It is having shallow medium black calcareous soils with clay loam to clay texture. METHODOLOGY: The present study was focused on the Folk Biological Knowledge (FBK) of grasses of Saurashtra. This documentation of grasses includes enumeration and its utilities in different perspectives. Field visit were done in these two Agro-climatic zones of Saurashtra. In every field visit random tracks were selected for the documentation of grasses. Track data was recorded and collected information was analysed by cross checking with related literature. Necessary references also made to document grasses for complete information set up at a stretch (Bor, 196; Shah, 1978; Blatter and McCann, 1935, Anonymous, ). The main way of collecting folk biological information is to talk with people, to watch what they do and to participate in their activities. Different folk biological techniques have been used in order to gather information (Martin, 1995; Alexiades, 1996 and Cunningham, 1). The "ethnobotanical-inventorytechnique" was the main procedure used to collect information. "Artefact-interviews" and "participant observation techniques" was used if where the chance is given. "Plant interviews" using plant specimens and colour photographs and "checklist interviews" were conducted in order to complete field information. "Group interviews" were sometime developed spontaneously with community members. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Utility of grasses by local people is a common observation in all the zones. As described in the methodology earlier, local people were interviewed and shown the sample of the grass collected during the field visit to know about the variety of grasses used traditionally by the native or local people. The zone wise findings regarding the variety of uses of the grass species are tabulated as under. This pilot research shows the potential of folk biological knowledge (FBK) of these two zones local people. The findings regarding the variety of uses of the grass species are shown below. PEER-REVIEWED Page 68

3 Fig. 1shows total number of grasses observed in Saurashtra region as per Agro-climatic zone North Saurashtra and South Saurashtra. 81 species of grasses in South Saurashtra and 7 species of grasses in North Saurashtra were observed. In North Saurashtra seventeen grass species were found useful by native people (Fig. ). Apluda mutica was used in households like roof making. Aeluropus legopoids is widely used as fodder in coastal areas. Aristida adscensionis is used as fodder. Cenchrus ciliaris is also used as fodder in some areas of North Saurashtra. Whole plant of Chloris barbata was also commonly used as fodder. Leaves of Cymbopogon martinii are used in scent preparation. Whole plant of Cynodon dactylon was widely used in different religious activities and it also used as fodder. Whole plant of Dactyloctenium aegyptium was used as fodder. Leaves and stem Desmostachya bipinnata were used in different religious activities. It was also used to make roof of huts. Leaves of Desmostachya bipinnata was used to purify water in well. Leaves and whole plant of Dicanthium annulatum were used as good fodder plants. Whole plant of Eremopogon foveolatus was used as fodder plant. Leaf of Heteropogon contourtus was used as fodder plant. Whole plant was used to make roof of hut. Grains of Sorghum bicolour were used as food. Grains of Pennisetum typhoids were also used as food. Grains of Triticum aestivum were used as staple food. Leaf of Themeda triandra was used as fodder plant. Whole plant was used to make roof of hut. Seeds of Zea mayz were commonly used as food. In South Saurashtra seventeen grasses were having potential source of traditional knowledge (Fig. 3). Whole plant of Apluda mutica was used in households like roof making. Whole plant of Aristida histricula was used as fodder. Whole plant of Bothriochloa pertusa was used in households like broomsticks. Whole plant of Chloris barbata was used as fodder. Leaves of Coix lachrymal-jobi was used as good fodder plant and its seeds were used to make ornaments. Stem and leaves of Cymbopogon martinii were used as fodder plant. Whole plant of Cynodon dactylon was used as fodder plant. Dicanthium annulatum was having a good fodder value, its whole plant used as fodder. Stem and leaves of Echinochloa colonum were used as fodder. Stem and leaves of Elusine indica were used as fodder plant. Whole plant of Desmostachya bipinnata was used in households like roof making. Its leaves and stem were used in different religious activities like marriage and death ceremony. Its leaves also used to purify water in well. Seeds of Pennisetum typhoides were commonly used as food and it was also used to Retain Placenta. Grain of Oryza sativa was used as staple food. Extracts of stem of Saccharum officinareum used to cure constipation. Its leaves were used as fodder. Grains of Sorghum bicolour, Triticum aestivum and Zea mayz were used as food. In South Saurashtra maximum no of grasses were used in fodder ( Species), 5 species as food, species in Households things, 3 species as medicinal, 1 species in ecology, 1 species as ornaments and 1 species in religious and cultural activities. PEER-REVIEWED Page 69

4 While in North Saurashtra maximum no of grasses were used in fodder (11 Species), species in Households things, species as food, species as medicinal, species in religious and cultural activities and 1 species in ecology. South Saurashtra having area like Girnar wildlife Sanctuary, Gir national Park and Sanctuary, other coastal areas with diverse vegetation which increases the diversity of grasses, while in North Saurashtra diversity of grasses is less in compare to South Saurashtra. As the vegetation is very diverse native people are more connected to it and its different utilization is in their daily life. Uses of the folk/ethnic knowledge of Native people South Saurashtra are more then North saurashtra (Fig.-). REFERENCES: Alexiades, M. N., (1996): Collecting ethnobotanical data: An introduction to basic concepts and techniques. In: Alexiades M.N. (ed) Selected Guidelines for Ethnobotanical Research: A Field Manual. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York, pp Anonymous, ( ): The wealth of India. C.S.I.R. (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research). Vol New Delhi. India. Anonymous, (8): A Report, Agriculture and co operation Department, Government of Gujarat, India. Blatter, E.J. and McCann, C. (1935): The Bombay Grasses, Scientific Monog. No. 5, I.A.R.I, Delhi, India. Bor, N. L. and Taylor, G., (196): The grasses of Burma, Ceylon, India and Pakistan (Excluding Bambuseae), Pergamon Press, Oxford. Cunningham, A. B., (1): Applied Ethnobotany. People, Wild Plant Use and Conservation. WWF, UNESCO, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. London. Earthscan Publications, London and Sterling. Martin, G. J., (1995): Ethnobotany, A People and Plants Conservation Manual. World Wide Fund for Nature. Chapman & Hall, London. Mitra S. and Mukherjee S. K., (5): Ethnobotanical usages of grasses by the tribal of West Dinajpur district, West Bengal. Indian J. Trad. Knowl. Vol-(): pp Shah, G. L., (1978): Flora of the Gujarat State, Vol. I and II, Sardar Patel University. Vallabh Vidyanagar. Gujarat, India. PEER-REVIEWED Page 7

5 Fig.1: Distribution of grasses according to Agro-climatic zone of Saurashtra 8 81 No. of Grass species South Saurashtra 7 North Saurashtra Fig.: Utilization of grasses in North Saurashtra 11 1 No. of grasses Fodder House Hold Food Medicinal Religious and Cultural Ecological Utility of Grasses PEER-REVIEWED Page 71

6 Fig.3: Utilization of grasses in South Saurashtra 1 No. of Grasses Fodder Food House Hold Medicinal Ecological Ornaments Religious and Cultural Utility of Grasses 1 Fig.: Comparative status of utilization of Grasses 11 No of Grasses Fodder Food House Hold Medicinal Ecological Ornaments Religious and Cultural South Saurashtra North Saurashtra PEER-REVIEWED Page 7