Saving the endangered medicinal plant  Mappia from being eroded in forest patches and encouraging farmers to cultivate the plant as an inter-crop is the latest mission green colleges have taken up.  

Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Mappia foetida) locally known as Narkya or Amruta is an endangered  plant species naturally distributed in the Western Ghats. It is the most convenient source for large-scale production of camptothecin (CPT) – a promising anti-cancer compound.

Considering over exploitation of the tree, the project has been jointly initiated by Pune's Garware College, Sirsi's College of Forestry,  Bangalore's University of Agricultural Sciences, Dapoli's Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidypeeth, and RANWA Department of Biotechnology, with Government of India supporting the project. During this three-year project, scientists will focus on multi-location trials for cultivation of the plant species. “Mappia is the naturally existing source of CPT, the unsustainable harvesting of which has made it an endangered species. Among plant species known to contain CPT, Mappia has the highest CPT concentrations, about 1 per cent. Obviously, the demand from the pharma-industry is increasing,” said Associate Professor at College of Forestry, Sirsi, Dr R Vasudeva.

The project aims at developing strategies of mass cultivation of Mappia for its conservation in forest, along with domestic cultivation in farmlands. Dr R Vasudeva further said that the plant can be easily grow in fields. “It's a shade-loving small tree, requiring moisture. Except its leaves, the entire tree can be utilised for medicinal purposes. We are trying to introduce this profit-yielding plant in the farmlands. As the tree is neither eaten by animals nor used for firewood, the farmers need not look after it much,” he said.

The researchers surveyed the Western Ghats for best suited locations and identified genotypes to know the kinds of nurseries required. The first phase works on how it can be grown at three agro-forestry regions from Maharashtra and Karnataka.

“In Pune district, the cultivation has already started in Mulshi, Maval, Velha and Purandar talukas as inter-crop with custard apple and chikoo. Mappia does not affect the main crop,” informed Head, Department of Biodiversity, RANWA, Dr Ankur Patwardhan. Farmers as well as the pharma community have responded well. Farmers can earn about Rs 40 per kg of Mappia, and there would be a buy-back arrangement, he added.