Distribution, Challenges, and Conservation of an Industrially Important Medicinal Plant, Pushkarmool (Inula racemosa Hook. f.)

Inula racemosa, also known as mannu or pushkarmool, is a critically endangered perennial herb that belongs to the family Asteraceae. Every part of this plant has economic value and is used traditionally for the treatment of various diseases. It exhibits diuretic, antidiabetic, antiseptic, expectorant, and antioxidant properties. The essential oil of I. racemosa is in great demand in the pharmaceutical and perfume industry. It has been harvested from the wild over previous decades and become an endangered species due to the demolition of natural habitat and unsustainable harvesting practices. Due to climatic specificity, it is cultivated only in the Himalayan ecosystem and climate change has reduced the adaptable capacity of their wild ancestral populations. Furthermore, the area under cultivation is declining day by day mainly due to its long life cycle, fluctuation in the market price, and marginal farmers with small land holdings. There is greater need to cultivate this medicinal plant as a cash crop on a commercial scale. The number of agricultural techniques like propagation, multiplication, nutrient requirement, and sustainable harvesting methods should be developed to get a good quality produce. This chapter summarizes botanical, geographical, and pharmaceutical aspects; and techniques to conserve this herb for future generation.