Foraging strategies of birds in partitioning of food resources in dry deciduous forest of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract :

Withania somnifera L. called as "Ashwagantha" in India, is an important medicinal plant equivalent to ginseng. It is used as stimulant, aphrodisiac,diuretic and tonic. For mass multiplication, shoot tip and nodal explants were inoculated in the Murashige and Skoog’s medium fortified with various growth regulators such as 6-benzyl arninopurine, indole-3-butric acid, naphlllalene acetic acid, kinetin and gibberellic acid, Nodal explants responded better than the shoot lip explanls and gave maximum shoots on BAP + Kn+ NAA (0.5 to 2.0 mg/l) Supplemented medium. Shouts transferred into the rooting medium containing NAA 0.5 mg/l and IBA 1 mg/l gave good result (80%). The rooted plantlets were hardened under green house and transferred to the field.