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Qualitative characteristics analysis of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don (Seabuckthorn) populations in Himachal Pradesh

To determine the variation among different populations and growing plants for qualitative characteristics of plant, leaves, thorns, fruits (berries) and seeds, five female plants of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don at each site were selected at the time of fruit set i.e., during August-September, when male and female could be differentiated. The selected plants were used for the assessment the qualitative variation of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don in Spiti valley and Baspa valley. Variation in qualitative traits of different sites of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don within and between different populations were studied. All the qualitative characters showed significant variation among and between different populations. Based on qualitative characters of different population of different sites, the population of Badseri and Kupa sites were found more promising for growth habit, plant vigour, density of shoot, number of thorns and length of thorns. Due to tremendous variability in population, the population can be used for future variability approaches and breeding programmes and for preparation of DUS guidelines of this species. It is suggested that for further propagation programmes, genepools from Sangla should be used and it can be planted on wastelands to develop grazing areas for sheep and goats and harvesting of fruits for Seabuckthorn value addition chain.


Introduction
Seabuckthorn (Genus Hippophae) is a berry-bearing, hardy shrub of the family Elaeagnaceae, naturally distributed in Asia and Europe and also introduced in North and South America. It includes 4 species (Hippophae rhamnoides, Hippophae salicifolia, Hippophae tibetana and Hippophae neurocarpa) and further 9 subspecies of Hippophae rhamnoides are reported so far from many parts of world. It is a unique and valuable plant resource currently cultivated in various parts of the world. The natural habitat of seabuckthorn extends widely in China, Mongolia, Russia, and most parts of North Europe. It can withstand extreme temperatures from -43ºC to 40ºC and is considered to be drought resistant. The cold deserts in Himachal Pradesh are found in the districts of Lahaul and Spiti, parts of Kinnaur and Pir Panjal region of Chamba. These areas are characterized by high ridges, difficult terrains with ice field, perpetual snow covered peaks and hostile climate. Among various indigenous and under exploited plant resources of high mountain area, Seabuckthorn (Hippophae salicifolia D. Don) is one of the best solution and can certainly metamorphose the ecology of Cold Desert by reclaiming these bare fragile mountains. Willow leaved Seabuckthorn and indigenous source locally Sutz/Sarla offers an opportunity to maintain more sustainable livelihood qualities as well as unique option for the simultaneous management of several problems. Seabuckthorn has outstanding qualities such as capability to grow and survive under adverse climatic conditions, extensive root system with soil binding ability/ soil stabilization/ control of river bank/ water retention, nitrogen fixing (60-100 kg / ha / year), higher vitamin-C content and economic value of fruit and seed oil , excellent fodder and fuel wood qualities, wider application in food, cosmetics, beverages, medicines and other pharmaceutical products, excellent fencing hedge and social fencing. Though seabuckthorn is widely found under agroforestry system as well as hazard zones, yet no any systematic study has been carried out so far to understand its potential under agroforestry/ forestry perspectives. So it help to be a valuable tool for land restoration and conservation in the cold desert of the Lahaul valley (Sankhyan et al., 2018) [5] . The first pre-requisite step to undertake breeding programme and to obtain improved genetic gain is selection of best population and best individuals within the population. Hence present study was undertaken to study variation in qualitative characteristics among and between different populations to select plus trees of Hippophae salicifolia D. Don. Nursery raising, plantation technology, fruit harvesting methodology and other biochemical aspects have been already worked out for Hippophae rhamnoides L. but this species is still lacking information, being its restricted and scattered distribution in patches. With this concept and idea in mind, this species has been preferred to work on qualitative parameters so that complete package and practice of this particular species is developed and this study may help in identification of discriminating morphological descriptors to know the extent of variation and variability among populations and within individuals of the populations, The present study was focused in only two valleys namely Sangla valley of district Kinnaur and Spiti valley of district Lahaul and Spiti, because major gene pool area of this species occur only in these two valleys and considered heart of cold desert of Himachal Pradesh , where choice of species is limited and Seabuckthorn is only suitable option and Lahaul valley is rich in genetic resources as concerned and Seabuckthorn is last option and choice for them. Finally, development of morphological descriptors of this species may certainly help in the preparation of DUS Guidelines at later stage. Hence present study was contemplated.

Result and Discussion Qualitative Characters Growth habit and plant vigour
The growth habit among the population studied was either found to vary from small tree and shrub ( Table 1). The KP3, SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5 were shrub types, whereas the other genotypes of between population were small tree type. The plant vigour was found to vary from weak, medium and strong (Table 1) CP5, GP1, GP3 and MP5 had strong plant vigour. From inclusive study, 60 per cent of population was found to be small tree type and rest 40 per cent was shrub type, however 56.6 per cent population had medium vigour, 33.3 per cent strong and only 10 per cent population showed weak shoot vigour (Fig-1, 2).

Plant sex and position of inflorescence
All the 100 per cent studied population had female type of plant sex (Table 1). On the other hand, the position of inflorescence in 100 per cent population on one-year old shoot was recorded.

Number of thorns
The range of the number of thorns varied from absent, few, medium and dense (Table 2)

Leaf blade shape, leaf blade size and undulation of margin
The data leaf blade shape, leaf blade size and undulation of margin is detailed in Table 3

Green colour intensity and pubescence on the lower side
The green colour intensity ranged from medium green, dark green and light-yellow green. Among studied population, 73.3 per cent showed medium green colour intensity whereas MP1 had dark green colour intensity and MP4, MP5, SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4 and SP5 showed light yellow green colour intensity which accounts for 23.3 per cent of total population. The character pubescence on lower side was present in 100 per cent of studied population (Table 3, Fig 8).

Fruit size and fruit shape
The character fruit size and fruit shape are detailed in Table 4. The fruit size showed wide variation ranged from small, medium and large. The fruit size was large, in population KP1, GP4, MP1, MP3 and MP4 whereas it was medium in KP2, KP3, KP4, BP2, BP4, BP5, CP3, CP5, GP1, GP3, GP5, MP2, MP5, SP1 and SP5. The small size fruit were also recorded in population KP5, BP1, BP3, CP1, CP2, CP4, GP2, SP2, SP3 and SP4 respectively. From the investigated data, a total of 36.6 per cent had small fruit size, 46.6 per cent had medium fruit size and only 16.6 per cent of population showed large size of fruits (Fig 9, 10). The character fruit shape varied from round to oval. All the studied population had round fruit shape which accounts for 93.3 per cent of population except MP2 and MP3 which had oval fruit shape.

Fruit colour, fruit pubescence and fruit stalk length
The plants taken for study showed considerable variation among themselves (  (Fig 11). The fruit pubescence was recorded weak in all 100 per cent individuals of investigated population. The fruit length of stalk ranged from short, medium and long. The short fruit stalk length was observed in population KP1, SP1, SP2, SP3,  SP4 and SP5 whereas in KP2, KP3, KP5, BP1, BP2, BP4,  BP5, CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, CP5, GP1, GP2, GP3 and GP4  recorded medium fruit stalk length. The remaining population  KP4, BP3, GP5, MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4 and MP5 long fruit  stalk length was observed. On an average, 23.3 per cent of population had short fruit stalk, 53.3 per cent had medium stalk length and 23.3 per cent population was with long fruit stalk length (Fig 12).

Time of beginning of flowering and time of beginning of fruit ripening
The characters time of beginning of flowering and time of beginning of fruit ripening showed no variations (Table 5) as the flowering began in the month of April-May in 100 per cent of population and the fruit ripening began in the month of September in all the studied among and between population except MP1 and SP1, where the fruit ripening was started in month of October (Fig 13).

Seed colour and shape of seed tip
The parameter seed colour varied from brown to dark brown in colour (Table 6). All the studied population,90 per cent had brown seed colour except MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4 and MP5 which showed dark brown seed colour. The shape of seed tip was pointed in all the 100 per cent studied population (Fig  14).  Similar plant growth habit from shrub to tree and plant height up to 6 m was recorded by Yadav et al. (2006) [6] and tree vigour medium to strong was studied by Rati and Radukanu, (2018) [4] . Nawaz et al. (2018) [3] also showed dark green colour intensity of leaf on ventral surface than dorsal surface. The linear shape of leaf blade was also studied by Mir et al. (2018) [2] . The flowering behaviour in present study was recorded as the time of beginning of flowers was April to May in among and between the population, similar findings were also reported by Kaushal and Sharma (2012) [1] . Similar variation was also recorded in a study conducted by Nawaz et al. (2018) [3] also found strong orange yellow colour in ripened berries of seabuckthorn. Yadav et al., (2006) [6] reported almost similar fruit shape round to ovate respectively. The variation in seed characters are in line with the findings of Mir et al., (2018) [2] ; Kaushal and Sharma (2012) [1] for seed colour that ranged from greyish brown or dark brown respectively. On the basis of qualitative characters, the population of Badseri and Kupa sites are found more promising for growth habit, plant vigour, density of shoot, number of thorns and length of thorns. It is also suggested that for further propagation programmes, genepool from Sangla Valley should be used.