Development of microsatellite markers and assessment of population genetic diversity for economically important forest species (Parkia roxburghii) in North East India. Funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) New Delhi.

Parkia roxburghii  (Family leguminoseae, sub-family mimosoideae) is used by the local communities in North-East India as a tree legume. It is commonly known as tree bean or yongchak by the local communities in Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. It is an important food source, consumed either fresh or cleaned and sundried for future use during off seasons. In this project, an attempt was made to map the distribution of Parkia roxburghii, an important NTFP species in the northeastern region. This species is highly valued in the northeastern region and because of the intensive extraction over the years, the extant populations of the species are too few and contain very few individuals and thus has become endangered in the wild. In the project, an attempt was made to map the present distribution of the species in the northeastern region and determine the levels of genetic variability in the extant populations using molecular tools.