Evaluation of High Value Medicinal Plants Used as Stop Wash Barriers to Intercept Runoff in Eroded Lands of Fateh Jang, Pakistan

Rainfed soils are more vulnerable to erosion as compared to other areas. The best strategy to conserve these soils from degradation is to provide soil cover e.g., agronomic cover which plays a vital role to intercept raindrop in situ which ultimately minimizes the rate of runoff. Farmers in rainfed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Himalayan earth sciences 2024-12, Vol.57 (2), p.62
Main Authors: Obaid-ur-Rehman, RahinaKausar, MuhammadRashid, Akram, Muhammad Imran, Malik, Ayesha, Mohsin, Muhammad Usman, Munir, Asia, Malik, Kouser Majeed, Khan, Saftain Ullah
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural practices
Agricultural production
Analysis
Cover crops
Cultivation
Economic conditions
Economics
Farmers
Flowers & plants
Fodder
Forage
Forage crops
Herbal medicine
Livestock
Livestock feeds
Medicinal plants
Medicine, Botanic
Medicine, Herbal
Plant species
Runoff
Socioeconomics
Soil conservation
Soil erosion
Soil fertility
Water conservation
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Summary:Rainfed soils are more vulnerable to erosion as compared to other areas. The best strategy to conserve these soils from degradation is to provide soil cover e.g., agronomic cover which plays a vital role to intercept raindrop in situ which ultimately minimizes the rate of runoff. Farmers in rainfed areas mostly cultivate forages and fodder crops which act as soil cover and source of feed for their livestock without significant economic return. It has been anticipated that use of medicinal plants is increasing day by day for the cure of diseases. Therefore, considering above objective research was planned to introduce high value medicinal plants which improve soil health and quality. The research was conducted at Soil and Water Conservation Research Station, Fateh Jang during 2019-2023. The selected plant species included were Steviarebaudiana, Aloe barbadense miller, Menthapeperita, Melissa officinalis, Mentharoyleana, Salvia rosmarinus, Origanumvulgare, Murrayakoenigii, Ocimumtenuiflorum. In addition, in Rabi season Foeniculumvulgare, Lepidiumsativum, Trigonellafoenum-graecum, Nigella sativa and Carumcopticum showed best performance. The outcomes of the study revealed that these plants species effectively, restored the soil health and improve the soil physiochemical characteristics. So, cultivation of these plants as a cover crop will ultimately uplift socio-economic condition of farmers in respect of more economic return from the same piece of land by adopting innovative technology of medicinal plant cultivation.
ISSN:1994-3237
1994-3237