Agro-biodiversity Park for Conservation and Preservation of Native Flora and Fauna in Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, India

In newly developed agro-biodiversity park, several plantation blocks were developed in phased manner, such as teak (2,200 plants in 2.2 ha), mahuva (1,500, 1.5 ha) plant dominant community blocks and mixed forest tree block (4,600, 2.5 ha). Besides, a separate generic blocks of, viz., palm (300, 0.4 ha), medicinal trees (700, 0.7 ha), bael (Aegel marmelos) (200, 0.4 ha) and minor fruit tree block (1,200, 1.0 ha). A species diversity Ficus block (225 no. of 30 species in 0.4 ha) was also developed and maintained. Of late rare, endemic, endangered and threatened species Ceropegia (Asclepiadaceae) was identified in 2014. Since then, utmost care was taken for conservation and preservation in agro-biodiversity park. Every year during monsoon, the gap filling was done to maintain greenery in different block plantations. Water ponds and bodies were also created as a source of water for all resident and migratory bio-creatures for promotion of fauna genetic resources. The natural fauna present in agro-biodiversity park are wild boars, field rabbits, small mammalians, field peacocks, reptiles, lizards, avians, amphibians, toads, etc.. Besides, 24 species of insects, five species of fish and eight species of reptiles were recorded. Out of 120 species of butterflies present in the state, 56 were found in the park. The bird species increased from 35 to 172 species within eight years of duration. The creation of different plantation blocks has facilitated to increase flora and fauna in the park. The native flora and fauna were protected by erecting chain link mesh as border fencing against movement of trespass and livestock animals. The agro-biodiversity park was aimed mainly to preserve, conserve and promote the native flora and fauna through ex-situ conservation of species and to establish 15-20 biotic communities, including wild relative field crops, such as cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds and fiber crops as a repository that flourished in the Deccan plateau in the past. The other objectives were to restore and develop the existing dry land and wet land habit to preserve and conserve the genetic resources.