Research Projects

India, a mega-biodiverse country, has a rich plant diversity and precious ecosystems that support the economy and ecology. However, the systematic assessment of biodiversity is crucial for conservation and sustainable utilization of biological resources. The project proposes systematics and conservation of Artemisia L. in India, an economically and ecologically important plant group. The genus is medicinally important with age-old uses in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Western medicinal systems and reportedly promising scope against COVID-19. However, insufficient taxonomic clarity hinders its proper phytochemical and pharmacological characterization. Spatial distribution mapping of Artemisia species in India will facilitate effective nature-based solutions to combat climate change and restore degraded ecosystems. Once systematic assessment and distribution mapping are available, it can form the basis for empirical threat assessment as per IUCN guidelines. An ex-situ conservation strategy for Artemisia taxa currently facing high risk of threats can augment the germplasm repository for long-term conservation, bioprospection, and sustainable utilization for regional development. The project will be established at the Botanical Garden at the University of Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir, and will use traditional taxonomic characters and modern molecular characters to achieve an integrative taxonomy of Artemisia in India. The major output of this challenging project will be an "Illustrated Monograph on genus Artemisia in India," which will form a scientific baseline on the genus in the country.