Unique Winter Grasses of Southern Haryana: Potential Agents for Soil Stabilization
Keywords:
Poaceae, Grasses, Desertification, Soil Stabilization, HaryanaAbstract
Southern Haryana, encompassing the semi-arid sandy plains and Aravalli outliers, supports a distinctive assemblage of winter-active grass species with potential ecological significance for soil stabilization and desertification prevention. This floristic study documents 21 ecologically important winter-active grass species recorded from southern Haryana during field surveys conducted between July 2019 – August 2021, and ongoing surveys since January 2024. Winter-active grasses persist during the lean dry season and provide critical ecosystem functions including soil binding, reduced erosion, maintenance of primary productivity, and provision of forage for herbivores. This baseline floristic data provides foundational information for future ecological research and conservation planning in the vulnerable semi-arid region of southern Haryana, adjacent to the Thar Desert. Multidisciplinary research involving genomic, physiological, and soil science studies is recommended to establish the quantitative roles of these species in ecosystem restoration. The findings align with India's Aravalli Green Wall initiative, which targets restoration of 1.1 million hectares of degraded Aravalli land by 2027 using site-specific native species.
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