News from NUCSER | Ethnobotanical importance of Pteridophytes of Agumbe ghats

Pteridophytes have a strong association with human civilization, culture, tradition, art, food and medicines. Despite their socio-economic importance, they remain unexplored and neglected, largely due to meagre information on location and availability. In the context of germplasm assessment and generation of an inventory of pteridophytes of the region, a survey was conducted at the Agumbe area in Shimoga of Karnataka. This study resulted in a collection of 20 species of pteridophytes belonging to 17 genera under 16 families.

Prof. Dr. Smitha Hegde, Division of Bioresource and Biotechnology, NUCSER, Nitte (Deemed to be University) in collaboration with Prof Dr. Suneetha C, Mr. Nagesha N, Prof. Dr. Kavitha Kandpal, Department of Horticulture, GKVK, Bangalore and Dr. Vinayaka Muttu from the Department of Horticulture, UAS, Hassan conducted this study. This survey contributes towards a taxonomical confirmed inventory of fern species of ethnobotanical importance and assists in providing basic IPR protection data for the germplasm of ferns.  The work was published in the Indian Fern Journal, a journal of repute amongst peer pteridologists in India and abroad.