Assessing the impact of climate change on Ophiocardyceps sinensis, Agarcus bisporu, Fritillaria cirrhosu, and Paris polyphylla in Nepal

Abstract

Human survival is facilitated by medicinal herbs with their unique properties but it shows variation in their properties due to climate change and has a significant influence in production. Thus, this study was objectively conducted to assess the impact of climate change and the trend of production on Ophiocardyceps Sinensis, Agarcus Bisporu, Fritillaria cirrhosu, and Paris polyphylla in the Far-Western Himalayan region of Nepal. The research was based on qualitative and quantitative approaches with data analyzed using Microsoft EXCEL. The minimum and maximum temperature was in increasing trend at an average of –0.0193°C and 0.038°C where precipitation was in decreasing trend at an average of 10.88mm from 1999-2021. The total record of ANCA and DFO, the highest production of Ophiocordyceps scinensis was 1056kg in 2021 and the production of 327kg in 2020 was lowest ever recorded in ANCA. In 2018, the production of Paris polyphylla was the highest i.e., 8992kg, and 1,630 kg in 2016 was the lowest ever recorded. Apart from this, 7,196kg was the highest production of Fritillatia cirrhosu in 2018, and the lowest production was recorded 40kg in 2016. The highest production of Agarcus bisporus was 6,857kg in 2018 and only 645kg production in 2017 was recorded lowest. In 2017 Agarcus bisporus, Ophiocordyceps scinensis, in 2018 Ophiocordyceps scinensis, in 2019 Fritillatia cirrhosu, Agarcus bisporus, Ophiocordyceps scinensis, in 2020 Fritillatia cirrhosu, Ophiocordyceps scinensis in 2021 Fritillatia cirrhosu, and no species production in 2015, 2016 in DFO record. In contrast, people’s response and recorded data in DFO and ANCA shows the negative impact of climate change on medicinal herbs in Darchula. This paper will be useful for academicians and policymakers to monitor the production and trend of medicinal herbs.