Biomass estimation of herbaceous species of Benhama area, Kashmir

Abstract

The present study entitled “Biomass estimation of herbaceous species of Benhama Ganderbal, Kashmir” was conducted at Faculty of forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Benhama, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir during the year 2015-2016 with the aim to assess the biomass of herbaceous species at this site. Study site was divided into three altitudes. At each altitude, five quadrats were laid of size 1.25 m x 1.25 m for herbaceous species. The floristic surveys conducted in the study area during the study period resulted in the identification of 64 herbaceous species belonging to 18 families. The aboveground biomass of different grasses present at different elevations revealed that the maximum production was at lower elevation followed by middle and upper elevations with the maximum contribution from Cynodon dactylon at all the three altitudes. It is followed by Conyza canadensis, Rumex histatus and Poa bulbosa in the lower, middle and upper altitude respectively.