A Review of Landraces’ On-farm Conservation, Practices and Management: An Indian Perspective
G M Puneeth
The Graduate School, Division of Plant Genetic Resources, ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
D A Deepak
The Graduate School, Division of Plant Genetic Resources, ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
G R Sneha
The Graduate School, Division of Microbiology, ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
Ravi Gowthami
ICAR - National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
Subhash Chander
ICAR - National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
Kailash Chandra Bhatt
ICAR - National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
Ramesh Vasudeva
College of Forestry, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Sirsi – 581401, India.
Sunil Archak *
ICAR - National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Plant genetic resources are the most valuable and essential basic raw materials to meet the current and future needs of crop improvement programs to enhance the genetic base of a crop. With erosion playing a crucial role in diminishing diversity, different conservation methods come to play a massive role in preserving these resources. Thus, in the present paper, the authors tried to provide a gist about the on-farm conservation activities practiced in India and the importance of on-farm diversity in terms of economic importance. Different key words like on-farm conservation, landraces, custodian farmers, on-farm diversity were used to collect the different articles on on-farm conservation. Research articles from different states and regions around the country were gathered to collate the data and knowledge. In managing the key farm resources, the role of community seed banks, kitchen gardens, custodian farmers, their communities and organizations has been highlighted, along with a few case studies of on-farm conservation activities across the sites in the country. With the collection and documentation of on-farm material for genebanks and databases, it may provide easy access to on-farm material for potential users in the future. Providing incentives, identifying key problems, and providing necessary facilities may sustain on-farm conservation.
Keywords: Conservation, diversity, custodian farmers, landraces, documentation