Willow (Salix fragilis Linn.): A multipurpose tree species under pest attack in the cold desert of Lahaul valley, northwestern Himalaya, India.
Salix fragilis is the most common willow species grown extensively under the indigenous agroforestry system in the cold desert of Lahaul valley located in the northwestern Himalayas, India. Presently, this tree is under severe pest attack, and other infections have made its survival in the area questionable. This deciduous multipurpose tree species provides vegetation cover to the barren landscape of Lahaul and is a significant contributor of fuel and fodder to the region. This study is a detailed profile of the plant in three villages within this region: Khoksar, Jahlma, and Hinsa. The willow provided 69.5%, 29%, and 42% of the total fuelwood requirements of Jahlma, Khoksar, and Hinsa respectively. A striking observation was that only 30.0 +/- 20.1% trees were healthy: 55.2 +/- 16.1% of the willows have dried up and 14.8 +/- 6.1% were in drying condition due to a combination of pest infestation and infection. To sustain this cultivation of willow under the existing agroforestry system in the region, we recommend that locally available wild species and other established varieties of willow growing in similar regions of the Himalayas be introduced on a trial basis.
Rawat
Yashwant S
YS
G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Himachal Unit, Himachal Pradesh, India. yas_rawat@yahoo.com
Oinam
Santaram S
SS
Vishvakarma
Subhash C R
SC
Kuniyal
Chandra P
CP
Kuniyal
Jagdish C
JC
D000531:Altitude; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003889:Desert Climate; D016468:Forestry; D007194:India; D032108:Salix / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D012987:Soil
D012987:Soil