The CIMAP Research Centre, Pantnagar was set up in February 1963 in the name of Northern Zonal Centre of Central Indian Medicinal Plants Organization (CIMPO) at Haldwani with a farm of 50 acres in Tarai region of Nainital and extended to 286 acres by 1967. In 1979, it was shifted to the present location after construction of office buildings. The Research center lies at a Latitude of 290 N, Longitude of 79.380 E and an altitude of 243.84 MSL. It experiences subtropical and humid climate. The minimum between 20 -50 C. The average rainfall is 1350 mm. The major strength of the Research Center, Pantnagar is large fertile land with adequate water resource.The Center also experiences almost all climated starting from summer, winter, monsoon and even the aromatic crops suitable to various climates can be purposes. The center is well connected by train, roads, air and easily approachable from the nearby Purara Research Farm, Lucknow and also from Delhi. The G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology is very near to the center to make any collaborative research work possible and for making the technologies reachable to the farming communities through University’s KVKs. The center is connected with good communication facilities like Fax, Internet and telephones. The established infrastructures like distillation units, boiler, agricultural implements etc. are another advantage to run the center effectively. Genetic improvement of MAPs especially mints, aromatic grasses, satawar, clarysage, silybum rose, kalmegh etc., agrotechnological experiments; large scvale production of Quality Planting Materials ( QPMs); essential oil analysis; germplasm collection and introduction are the major activities of the center. Besides these, promotion of MAPs cultivation in Uttarakhand, adjoining areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other parts of country through training and demonstration programme; development of post harvest technologies of MAPs.; establishing Biovillage programmes for various crops and transfer of improved agro-technologies of MAP to the farmers and industries are some other activities of the center.

(i) Mint revolution: In 1963, 26 kg. stolon of Mentha arvensis was raised from 0.2 ha of the land. The area was extended to 8ha. by 1964. Material worth Rs. 45,000/- was sold to M/s Richardson Hindustan, Bilaspur, Rampur(Uttar Pradesh) Besides producing 220 kg. With this start, oil of Japanese mint to the tune of 150 tons is being produced in Tarai since 1972. An estimated production of about 15 tons of Mentha oil (Worth about Rs. 13.0 lakhs ) was achieved during 1972. The Kosi veriety developed the Center increases mint cultivation from 15 hectares in seventies to 1, 50,000 hectares in the beginning of 21st century in the country.

(ii) Ergot production Based on the preliminary studies, it was found that Ergot of rye can be grown successfully with superior quality of ergot alkaloid (ergotamine) under Tarai climate. The commercial strain of ergot (Claviceps purpurea(Fr.) Tul.) was tried during Rabi season. From 5.0 acre areas, 507 kg ergot was produced in 1977-8-78.

(iii) Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini var. motia) Vaishnavi A physiologically high yielding self pollinated genotype/variant ‘Vaishnavi’ is an outcome of extensive selections of the familiar variety PRC-1 with distinct morphology. The variety ‘Vaishnavi’ is a good source of geraniol (78-82 %) and geranyl acetate (8-12%) which are widely used in perfumery industries.

Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) Jal Pallavi     Water logging conditions depleted the citronella field populations and adersely affect the crop yield. A water logging tolerant genotype with high yield potential was developed through clonal selection.

Lemongrass(Cymbopogon flexuosus) Chirharit The first resistant, stay-green habit with high yield lemongrass variety ‘Chirharit’ has been developed through extensive selection from OPSP of va. ‘Cauvery’. The concentration of its major oil constituent: citral is about 81%.

Damask Rose (Rosa damascene) Ranishiba It is a super genotype of damask rose (Rosa damascene var. bifera) developed through a comprehensive scheme of half-sib progeny selection in the damask rose race grown in Kannuaj areas of Uttar Pradesh. The major quality parameters are: 0.08% oil content; 30-35% geraniol, 5-7% geranyl acetate, high flower yield even in off season.

Menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) Kosi The variety has originated from the familiar variety Kalka as one of its half-sib progenies. The variety is unique in its robust growth habit and higher biomass. Besides having the distinct morpho-physiological plant traits, this variety has large globular plant canopy, iso-menthone (17-19%) content and early maturing period (90-100 days).

Damroo Development of high essential oil yielding variety ‘Damroo’ from open pollinated seed progenies of the familiar variety ‘Shivalik’, having supremacy for high seed yield, better tolerance to leaf spot, rust and powdery and isomenthone (12-17%) content are the characteristic features of this variety.

Neerkalka It is an inter specific hybrid variety of Mentha arvensis, the main source of natural menthol and M. spicata, the main source of natural corvine. The natural cross compatibility occurs between the species although manual emasculation and pollination are impeded due to extremely small size of the florets.

Satavar (Asparagus racemosus)CIM-Shakti Asparagus racemosus Willd., a woody branced spiny climbing shrub with stout rootstock bearing numerious long fusiform tuberous roots is commonly known as satavar. Variety CIM-Shakti consistently shows high saponin content in all field evalution yield trials. The average dry root yield is about 148q/ha and saponin content is 21%. The new variety is characteristically having numerous fingers and profuse seed formation.