Cichorium intybus plant

Chicory plant

Cichorium intybus Seeds  

Family: Compositae

Chicory is also known as Blue Sailors, Garden Endive, Succory, Wild Succory and Hendibeh. The seeds, leaves and root have carminative and cordial properties and are useful as a brain tonic and for headache, asthma and bilious vomiting. It is an acclaimed hepatoprotective and, is used in hepatic enlargement,  sluggishness, jaundice, fever, vomiting and abdominal pain. Cleanses the urinary tract.

Chicory can lower pulse rate and reduce cholesterol levels. It has cholagogue and antiinflammatory properties and is useful in rheumatic condition and gout. Strengthens the liver and checks bilious enlargements of the spleen with general dropsy. Contains 45-60% inulin, which can lower levels of blood cholesterol.

Women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may find that regular use of chicory root as a bitter and a liver tonic may assist in maintaining hormone balance and lessening the symptoms of PMS.

Chicory also supports the body’s ability to absorb calcium, a nutrient that helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones.
 
Parts used :Leaves - raw or cooked. The leaves are rather bitter, especially when the plants are flowering. The leaves are often blanched by excluding light, either by removing all the leaves and then earthing up the new growth, or by covering the plant with a bucket or something similar. Whilst this greatly reduces any bitterness, there is also a corresponding loss of vitamins and minerals. The blanched leaves are often used in winter salads (they are known as chicons) and are also cooked. The unblanched leaves are much less bitter in winter and make an excellent addition to salads at this time of year. A nutritional analysis of the leaves is available. Flowers - raw. An attractive addition to the salad bowl, but rather bitter. Root - cooked like parsnip. The boiled young roots form a very palatable vegetable. The root is said to be an ideal food for diabetics because of its inulin content. Inulin is a starch that cannot be digested by humans, it tends to pass straight through the digestive system and is therefore unlikely to be of use to a diabetic. However, the inulin can be used to make a sweetener that is suitable for diabetics to use. Chicory-root is free of harmful ingredients, and is essentially a concentrated combination of three sugars (pentose, levulose and dextrose) along with taraxarcine (the bitter principle of dandelion). It is especially important as source of levulose. Roots are used in seasoning soups, sauces and gravies, and to impart a rich deep colour. The roasted root is used as a caffeine-free coffee adulterant or substitute. Young roots have a slightly bitter caramel flavour when roasted, roots over 2 years old are much more bitter.

Other uses of the herb: The roots have the potential to be used for the production of biomass for industrial use. They are rich in the starch "inulin" which can easily be converted to alcohol. A blue dye has been obtained from the leaves. The flowers are an alternative ingredient of "QR" herbal compost activator. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost.


Availablilty of parts
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More details:- The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
Admin. office: “Ginkgo House” Azizabad,Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Nambalbal, Pampore PPR JK 192121

 Postal adrress: PO Box 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
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International Week of Disappeared

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Srinagar, May 29: Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Wednesday alleged that over 10000 persons had been subjected to enforced disappearance in Kashmir.

“None other than Kashmiris can feel the pain of the persons who were subjected to enforced disappearance by the forces. More than 10000 people have been subjected to enforced disappearance in Kashmir so far while as 9500 unmarked graves have been discovered. The family members of disappeared persons are suffering from pain for the past 23 years,” said Mirwaiz in a statement today.

Mirwaiz said the real motive behind observing the “International Week of Disappeared” was to demand the return of thousands of people who were subjected to enforced disappearance across the globe.

Mirwiaz said the day was observed to take measures for alleviating the problems of the families of the victims. He said the silence of international community in this regard was contrary to human values and it seems they were attempting to provide protection to crimes committed by the State.
“It is the duty of international bodies like UN and Human Rights organizations to play an active role and press the Indian government to return the thousands of people who were subjected to enforced disappearance from Kashmir by their forces,” Mirwaiz said.

“Thousands of women have become widows and equal number of children has become orphans in the past 23 years. It is the duty of Kashmiri nation to take care of them and provide them whatever help they need,” said Mirwaiz, adding that “the Hurriyat has strengthened its HR cell and documented the statistical record pertaining to enforced disappearances, prisoners, and affected families. In near future Hurriyat will formulate an effective strategy to deal with these human issues.”(Writer-South Asia)

Pyrethrum seedlings

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Pyrethrum-Chrysanthemum cinerarifolium
Aromatic perennial, leaves dissected into liner segments. Flowers white, 2-5cm.across.Pyrethrum refers to several Old World plants of the genus Chrysanthemum (e.g., C. coccineum) which are cultivated as ornamentals for their showy flower heads. Pyrethrum is also the name of a natural insecticide made from the dried flower heads of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium and Chrysanthemum coccineum.

Other uses of the herb: The dried flower heads are used as an insecticide, they are a source of the commercially available insecticide "pyrethrum", which is non-toxic to mammals. This species is less effective than T. cinerariifolium. Only the yellow disk rays contain pyrethrins. Once dried, the flowers or the powder retain their insecticidal properties almost indefinitely.

Propagation of Pyrethrum: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the pot to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Parts available:
Pyrethrum seed, Pyrethrum seedlings,Chrysanthemum, Pyrethrum flowers cinerarifolium,Chrysanthemum coccineum, Wilf Pyrethrum, Pyrethrum plant, Pyrethrum Kartik Posh

Min. seeds : 50 seeds/per packet
Organic from Kashmir Himalaya.No GMO's.
(Only for research Purpose)

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Drone War against PAKISTAN

Pakistan Drone technology

Pakistan is secretly racing to develop its own armed drones, frustrated with U.S. refusals to provide the aircraft, but is struggling in its initial tests with a lack of precision munitions and advanced targeting technology, reports AP from Karachi.

One of Islamabad's closest allies and Washington's biggest rivals, China, has offered to help by selling Pakistan armed drones it developed. But industry experts say there is still uncertainty about the capabilities of the Chinese aircraft.

The development of unmanned combat aircraft is especially sensitive in Pakistan because of the widespread unpopularity of the hundreds of U.S. drone strikes against Taliban and al-Qaida militants in the country's rugged tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government denounces the CIA strikes as a violation of the country's sovereignty, though senior civilian and military leaders are known to have supported at least some of the attacks in the past. Pakistani officials also call the strikes unproductive, saying they kill many civilians and fuel anger that helps militants recruit additional fighters — allegations denied by the U.S.

Pakistan has demanded the U.S. provide it with armed drones, claiming it could more effectively carry out attacks against militants. Washington has refused because of the sensitive nature of the technology and doubts that Pakistan would reliably target U.S. enemies. The U.S. has held talks with Pakistan about providing unarmed surveillance drones, but Islamabad already has several types of these aircraft in operation, and the discussions have gone nowhere.

Inaugurating a defense exhibition in the southern city of Karachi last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf indicated Islamabad would look for help from Beijing in response to U.S. intransigence.

"Pakistan can also benefit from China in defense collaboration, offsetting the undeclared technological apartheid," said Ashraf. Pakistan has also been working to develop armed drones on its own, said Pakistani military officials and civilians involved in the domestic drone industry, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the work.

Pakistan first began weapons tests seven or eight months ago with the Falco, an Italian drone used by the Pakistani air force for surveillance that has been modified to carry rockets, said a civilian with knowledge of the secret program. The military is also conducting similar tests with the country's newest drone, the Shahpur, he said. An unarmed version of the Shahpur was unveiled for the first time at the Karachi exhibition.

The weapons tests have been limited to a handful of aircraft, and no strikes have been carried out in combat, said the civilian. Pakistan lacks laser-guided missiles like the Hellfire used on U.S. Predator and Reaper drones and the advanced targeting system that goes with it, so the military has been using unguided rockets that are much less accurate.

While Hellfire missiles are said to have pinpoint accuracy, the rockets used by Pakistan have a margin of error of about 30 meters (100 feet) at best, and an unexpected gust of wind could take them 300 meters (1,000 feet) from their intended target, said the civilian. Even if Pakistan possessed Hellfires and the guidance system to use them, the missile's weight and drag would be a challenge for the small drones produced by the country.

Pakistan's largest drone, the Shahpur, has a wingspan of about seven meters (22 feet) and can carry 50 kilograms (110 pounds). The U.S. Predator, which can be equipped with two Hellfire missiles, has a wingspan more than twice that and a payload capacity over four times as great.

Pakistani drones also have much more limited range than those produced in the U.S. because they are operated based on "line of sight" using radio waves, rather than military satellites. The Shahpur has a maximum range of 250 kilometers (150 miles), while the Predator can fly over five times that distance.

The British newspaper The Guardian reported Tuesday that Pakistan was working on an armed drone but did not provide details. The market for drones has exploded in Pakistan and other countries around the world in recent years, as shown by the array of aircraft on display at the defense exhibition in Karachi. Hoping to tap into a worldwide market worth billions of dollars a year, public and private companies wheeled out over a dozen drones that ranged in size from hand-held models meant to be carried in a backpack to larger aircraft like the Shahpur.

All the Pakistani drones on display were advertised as unarmed and meant for surveillance only. One private company, Integrated Dynamics, even promotes its aircraft under the slogan "Drones for Peace." But several models developed by the Chinese government were marketed as capable of carrying precision missiles and bombs.

The Chinese government has offered to sell Pakistan an armed drone it has produced, the CH-3, which can carry two laser-guided missiles or bombs, industry insiders said. Also being offered to Pakistan is a more advanced drone, the CH-4, which closely resembles a U.S. Reaper and can carry four laser-guided missiles or bombs, according to Li Xiaoli, a representative of the Chinese state-owned company that produces both the CH-3 and CH-4, Aerospace Long-march International Trade Co., Ltd.

Pakistan has yet to purchase any armed Chinese drones because their capabilities have yet to be proven, but is likely to do so in the future, said the civilian with knowledge of the Pakistani military's drone program.

Only a few countries, including the U.S., Britain and Israel, are known to have actually used armed drones in military operations. "China is a bit of a tough nut to crack as you'd expect," said Huw Williams, a drone expert at Jane's International Defense Review. "They frequently wheel out exciting looking aircraft but are yet to really demonstrate anything earthshattering." (Writer-SouthAsia)