NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEED ORCHARDS AND GERMPLASM BANKS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS*

This paper stresses the need for developing seed orchards and germ plasm banks of medicinal plants at various eco-climatic zones of the country, as many of these valuable renewable resources are fast dwindling due to over exploitation and indiscriminate extraction from the forest and country side. It projects the possibility of increasing the export potential and generating employment opportunities in the rural areas of the country. Also it points out the need to take urjjont stops to salvage these valuable natural resources and conduct research studies on their properties and judicious utilization by the research Institutions, Universities and Pharmaceutical firms.