MEDICINAL AND ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF WEEDS IN WHEAT CROP AT LOWER DIR, PAKISTAN

A total of 40 weeds in wheat crop belonging to 21 families and 38 genera were evaluated for their medicinal values and ecological importance during 2014. The dominant family was Asteraceae with six genera and six species followed by Papilionaceae with four genera and five species, Brassicaceae, Poaceae and Polygonaceae with three species each, Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Plantaginaceae with two species each and remaining 12 families were with one species each. Though these were weeds, still their importance could not be ignored and were used to cure various diseases. It is noted during the study that they were used as carminative (15 species.), laxative (13), in constipation (five), diarrhea (four), as diuretic (three), carminative and laxative in animals (three), vomiting (three), in diarrhea and constipation (two), while five species were used in other diseases including eye disease, dysentery, malaria, in blood pressure and as blood purifier. Beside their medicinal uses, it is noteworthy to mention that 38 species were used for feeding cattle. Weed ecology study is must for dealing different dynamics of weed flora in an ecological region. Studies on biological spectrum including life form showed 25 species (62.50%) as Therophytes, eight species (20.00%) as Geophytes and seven species (17.50%) as Hemicryptophytes. According to leaf size, 15 species (37.50%) were Microphylls, 13 (32.50%) were Nanophylls and six (15.00%) each were Leptophylls and Mesophylls. Plant part used showed there were 28 species (70%) whose whole plants were used for treating various ailments, seven species (17.50%) whose leaves and shoots were used, three species (7.50%) with leaves and fruit used , one species (2.50%) with leaves, shoot and fruit together used and one species (7.50%) with leaves, shoot and seed used. It is recommended after the present research work that physical eradication of weeds will improve the environment and will decrease the use of herbicides but will also provide fodder for animals and low cost medicines for human beings.