Conservation and cultivation of medicinal plants by ancient agro techniques - The need of the hour

With the increasing deforestation, decreasing natural resources and extinction of valuable medicinal plants, it has become the need of the hour to conserve them and cultivate them to meet the growing demand of the Pharma companies. The quality of the medicinal crop plays a pivotal role in the therapeutic potency of the plant and its effect on human health. In this regard the ancient agro technique methods mentioned in the Vrikshayurveda have shown to be more effective. Vrikshayurveda deals with the plant science mainly with the different species of trees and their healthy growth and cultivation including water management, soil conservation, and usage of organic fertilizers and the treatment of various diseases affecting them. This paper highlights the importance of the organic farming and the research works carried on these traditional techniques which can be effectively adopted for the conservation and cultivation of the medicinal plants in the present scenario.