Author(s): Dharam Chand, Zubair A Malik, MC Nautiyal

Abstract: The state of Uttarakhand, located in the foothills of Himalaya, is a home to various rare, threatened and endangered species of medicinal plants, Picrorhiza kurrooa being one of them. Drugs like Picroliv, Picroside-I, II, III, V and Kutkoside extracted from dried stolons and roots of Picrorhiza kurrooa are responsible for its vast medicinal properties. Due to large demand in national and international markets, exploitation of this species in wild is going on. In Western Himalaya (India), the conservation status of this species is either rare or threatened. The studies on genetic diversity and conservation of this species have become a priority in recent years. The main goal is to protect and maintain the evolutionary viability of this species and to maximize the chances of its survival and persistence in the changing environment. This paper gives an overview of the conservation of this species through cultivation in Garhwal Himalaya.