Aonla Rejuvenation Aonla Rejuvenation

Aonla RejuvenationIntroductionAonla, also known as Indiangooseberry ( Gaertn.),is indigenous to Indian subcontinent.Owing to its hardy nature, suitability tovarious wastelands, high productivityand nutritive ingredients besides havingtherapeutic values, aonla has becomean important fruit. In fact, aonla, in itsprocessed form is very popular among thesocial elites. As an indigenous fruit, it hasextensive adaptability to grow in diverseclimatic and soil conditions ranging fromwestern and eastern Himalayas, Arawali,Vindhyan to southern hills. The climateranges from hot tropical plains to humidsubtropical mid-elevation hills is suitablefor its cultivation. It is even raised in arid,semi-arid, coastal and warm temperateconditions successfully. Similarly, it growswell in saline, alkaline, and degraded aswell as in sandy, red and clay soils.Economic importanceAonla is not merely a source ofnutrients and medicine as well and itcultivation is also highly remunerative forsmall and marginal farmers. Traditionally,aonla has been a wanton crop of forest orhousehold, but during the last decade,unprecedented expansion has beenwitnessed in the sphere of aonla cultivationacross the country, utilizing the wasteland. of resources culminating in increase infarmers’ income, nutritional securitycoupled with enhanced employment andrejuvenation of wastelands.Various parts of aonla tree are ofgreat economic importance. The ediblefruit tissue contains protein concentration3-fold and ascorbic acid concentration160-fold more than those of available inapple. Aonla also embodies considerablyhigher concentration of most mineralsand amino acids than available in apple.Aonla fruit is valued very high amongstthe indigenous medicinal fruits and haseven been recommended by the ancientAyurvedic system for sound health. Itis a boon for patients suffering fromasthma, diabetes, anemia, cancer, tension,premature old age and loss and greyness Kalash prepared basically from aonlafruits are popular not merely in India but imparts laxative effect. Fresh roots arepanacea for jaundice and other abdominaldiseases.Present status production of aonla. Besides India,naturally growing aonla trees are alsofound in different parts of the world like Malaysia, Bhutan, Thailand, Vietnam, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Maharashtra, 1