The ethnic groups living in different parts of the world play a crucial role in the conservation of plant genetic resources. Many tribal societies have practices of worshipping nature. They believe that the earth does not belong to any single individual, but the generations to come also have rights in it. The famous quote by a Red Indian Tribal Chief is relevant in this scenario: "Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish has been caught and the last stream poisoned, Will we realize that we can not eat money."
About 300 million indigenous people are living in the world, of which 150 million live in Asia and 68 million live in India. There are 227 ethnic groups and 573 tribal communities in India belonging to Negroid, Proto- Australoid, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, West Breachy and Nordic racial stocks. They treat the forest as a shelter and eat forest resources. They protect plants based on their beliefs and uses.
List of plants conserved by ethnic groups:
Plants conserved based on a belief
1. Mangifera indica- (Anacardiaceae)- to worship Lord Vidhyadhara
2. Terminalia arjuna- (Combretaceae)- Lord Brahma.
3. Citrus medica- (Rutaceae)- Lord Brihaspati
4. Aegle marmelos- (Rutaceae)- Lord Shiva
5. Azadiracta indica- (Meliaceae)- Serpent King Nagaraja
6. Ocimum sanctum- (Lamiaceae)- Goddess Lakshmi
7. Nerium indicum- (Apocynaceae)- Lord Ganesh
8. Calotropis gigantea- (Asclepiadaceae)- Lord Shiva
Crop plants conserved by tribals
1. Amorphophallus paenonflodium- Araceae- Petiole /bulb as vegetable
2. Achyranthes aspera- Amaranthaceae- Vegetable
3. Bauhinia purpurea- Fabaceae- Leaf as vegetable.
4. Dioscorea alata- Dioscoriaceae- Tuber is edible.
5. Curculigo orchioides- Amaryllidaceae- Tuber is edible & medicine.
Plants protected in sacred groves
1. Alstonia scholaris- Apocynaceae
2. Helicteres isora.
3. Rauvolfia serpentina
4. Vateria indica
Plants used for snake bite as antidote
Acorus calamus, Bauhina purpurea,
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