======= Date Modified 07 45 2009 12:45:42 =======
======= Date Modified 06 24 2009 16:24:02 =======
Hi,
I am from India. I passed my PhD entrance test in Botany and I am planning to join the university center for doing my PhD. I would like to do research on taxonomy of plants. Since I have inconvenience in traveling I would like to choose a topic which doesn't need collection of the materials from different places( traveling much distance). So I want a topic from taxonomy or economic botany.I request you all to help me to find a topic of plants which are endemic, medicinal and of any agricultural or horticultural importance for my research wor

It would be really helpful if you can give some suggestions, hints, or show me a specific research topic as per I mentioned above. Anyway, thanks in advance.

Well God forbid doing a PhD would inconvenience you in any way! If you can't think of your own topic, and feel that doing basic research is a bit too strenuous, you don't have much chance.

Nisha, as you request to please you and meet your desires I have searched far and wide. I do not think you will have to travel far to settle these research projects and I there are many to choose from. I wish you well with your work. Anyway, you're welcome in advance. Here is the link:http://www.infowest.com/life/plants.htm

I don't wish to be rude but urm, your post doesn't sound like somebody who actually wants to do a PhD. You can't even be bothered to put a proposal together or choose your own topic. Doesn't bode well for a three -four year PhD!!

How about research into Botany Bay, in Chorley? You wouldn't need to collect materials from different places, as you can find everything you need under one roof, so not too much travelling; its role in the local retail environment is fundamental (being right next to the motorway), so you can look at the economic aspects of Botany (Bay). Sounds perfect all round!!!

(Apologies to all of you who have never lived in the North West and have absolutely no idea what I'm ranting on about!)

http://www.botanybay.co.uk/shopping.shtml

Hmmm. Sad but true, the country where this post was written hasn't more than a couple of universities that are connected to journals, and with the exception of a few prestigious universities have no access to international conferences/resources/journals etc...internet searching tools, access, but more importantly the right supervision is often lacking..

Hence, many ambitious youngsters leave once and for all. The greater tragedy is that those (women) with family commitments find it especially hard to get involved in a PhD. Talk of hidden social attitudes bla bla...

I'd give this person the benefit of the doubt because as soon as I read this post I could place my finger on some underlying problems that I know have plagued at least 6 women I know. May also be a case of laxity in which case all of you guys have been absolutely correct! But there may just be some socio-cultural (and hence educational) issues goign on here which OP has not quite been able to translate for us...

Yes, apologies that my earlier post was dismissive...

If you cannot travel and have limited resources then perhaps you could turn a local taxonomical or economic botany study into a virtue. Perhaps you could do detailed work on regional flora in your locality. Perhaps you could do work on nomenclature, or do a botany PhD that also has a local cultural/historical study as a element (medical, practical, and other cultural used for plants and flora etc) I don't know enough about botany to offer much advice - sorry.

======= Date Modified 07 Apr 2009 10:31:42 =======
Nisha, I don't know what university you would like to link your PhD with, but it would perhaps be useful to try and work out a way in which you can have a conversation with students of Botany in some good univs in New Delhi (I'm thinking of JNU perhaps?)...ask them how they did it? they are likely to share similar resources...

If you are based elsewhere, and are looking for the degree just to qualify the State and National Eligbility tests for college teaching or even the school service commission examinations, perhaps you are right, you just need to find a topic that's under researched and go and get the degree. In that case, travel to the local universities and see what those ahead of you have done. In any case, it is worth having a word with students at JNU, or the Indian Institute of Science etc..

Good luck :-)

Thanks for your contributions. After doing a basic study I feel that I could do my research on Aegle marmelos, as this tree has got many medicinal properties. This tree is highly worshiped in Indian Culture since it is considered as the tree of Lord Siva. I think I can make a study on the antibacterial, anti parasitical and other chemical constituents of this plant. It will be great helpful for me if I could get information regarding the research works done on this plant.

Can't help further with the topic, but the social scientist in me is intrigued (though not surprised) by your use of the unifying monolithic term 'Indian culture'...as for the tree, I think you need other reasons to choose a topic... but as I said, if your purpose is the degree to get into the entrance level exams for a college job somehwere...go ahead.

hi nisha
I think you should get in touch with your supervisor or some postgraduate tutor in your university to help you to find papers, get familiar with online databases. I'm very surprised to read your post. The Indian students whom I know, they are not only brilliant and hard working but usually know where to find papers, how to get them and come up with interesting research questions/topics. If you have identified the plant of interest, next step would be to find out what has already been done on it and expand it.

you can use www.sciencedirect.com or scopus.com etc.
Here is a search example:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleListURL&_method=list&_ArticleListID=900814345&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b1330f89d8f2062d5e31815245f30534

if you need to download it, get the web address, title and authors name, send it to your friends who are already students in universities (if their universities have access to these papers), ask them to help you download the papers you need