Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Agricultural and forestry research institutes develop high-yielding, pest-resistant, or chemically enriched varieties of threatened medicinal and aromatic plants to support sustainable commercial cultivation.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Commiphora wightii (commonly known as Guggul) is an endangered, slow-growing, thorny tree native to the arid regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat, valued for its medicinal oleo-gum-resin (guggulipid).
- 'Marusudha' is an improved high-yielding variety of Guggul developed by the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (ICAR-CAZRI), Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
- This variety was selected and bred for its excellent survival in arid conditions and its high gum-resin yield, helping farmers cultivate the crop commercially while reducing pressure on wild, overexploited populations.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Marusudha is an improved variety of Commiphora wightii (Guggul).