**1. Introduction**

The state of Jammu and Kashmir comprises the extreme western part of the Himalayas (32.44°N and 74.54°E), with altitude ranging from 200 to 7000 m amsl. The valley of Kashmir

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

(temperate zone) is approximately 120 km long and 32 km wide with an altitude range of 1524–2286 m amsl. Annual precipitation varies from 700 to 1500 mm. The temperature remains generally low, varying from −10°C during winter to 30°C during summer, with a yearly average of around 13°C. Generally, soil in rice growing areas is clay loam with a neutral pH. The economy of Jammu and Kashmir is predominantly agrarian, rice being the staple food and the most important food crop occupying an area of almost 140 thousand hectares. There are many well-known landraces of rice in Kashmir, noted for their unique qualities, peculiar taste and texture after cooking, early maturity and cold tolerance. When Green Revolution made its impact in India, the state of Jammu and Kashmir did not lag behind. Some introductions from China like China-1039, China 1007 and locally bred varieties like K-39, Jehlum and Chenab spread to every nook and corner of the state through vigorous political and infrastructural support by way of different Govt. sponsored schemes. As a result, faster replacement of indigenous low yielding landraces by modern High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) took place in the sixties and the entire rice area of Kashmir valley got covered under a few varieties.

**Variety and year of** 

**Higher belts (upto 1800–2100 m amsl)**

**Subtropical area (<1000 m amsl)**

Ranbir Basmati (1996) Selection from Basmati 370

**Table 1.** The most popular rice varieties and their salient features.

**Cross combination Salient feature**

Chenab (1996) K-21/IR-2053 Yield potential 60–65 q/ha, coarse grained, moderately tolerant

Jehlum (1996) JAKKOKU/IET-1444 Yield potential 60–65 q/ha, high yielding, better cooking quality,

Shalimar Rice-1 (2005) China 1007/IET 1444 Yield potential 65–70 q/ha, high yielding, better cooking quality,

size. Shalimar Rice-2 (2012) VL Dhan 221/K 39 High yielding (80–85 q/ha) moderately blast resistant *indica* rice

Shalimar Rice-3 (2012) IR32429-47-3-2-2/K 438 High yielding (80–85 q/ha), early maturing, cold tolerant *indica*

Shalimar Rice-4 (2016) Jehlum/84017-IR745-12-1 High yielding (75–80 q/ha), early maturing, cold tolerant

Shenei (1967) Introduction Yield potential (30–35 q/ha), moderately tolerant to blast,

China 971 (1967) Introduction Yield potential (30–35 q/ha), moderately tolerant to blast,

Barkat (1974) Shenei/China 971 Yield potential (38–40 q/ha), cold tolerant, high head rice

K-332 (1982) Shenei/Norin 11 Yield potential 40–45 q/ha, *japonica* type, cold tolerant, high

Kohsar (2002) Shenei/GINMASARI Yield potential 45–50 q/ha, *japonica* type, cold tolerance

130–140 days.

1650 m)

1850–2200 m amsl

1850–2200 m amsl

donor for cold tolerance

altitudinal tolerance upto 1000 m.

maturity 138–140 days.

Rice Biodiversity in Cold Hill Zones of Kashmir Himalayas and Conservation of Its Landraces

valley (upto 1650 m).

plains of the valley (upto 1650 m)

to blast, cold tolerant, possess complete synchronous flowering recommended upto 1650 m amsl, better cooking quality,

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43

greater tolerance to cold, highly resistant to blast. Recommended upto 1650 m amsl, maturity 142–145 days, medium bold grain

variety having long panicle, more number of grains/panicles strong stem, resistant to lodging, high phenotypic acceptability takes 139–143 days to mature. Recommended for plains of the

variety having moderate resistance to blast, erect plant type, easy thresh ability, erect flag leaf, recommended for cultivation in

*indica* variety having resistance to blast, easy thresh ability, recommended for cultivation in plains of the valley (upto

cold tolerant, maturity 130–135 days, recommended ecology

cold tolerant, maturity 130–135 days, recommended ecology

recovery, susceptible to blast, maturity 140–145 days. Suitable for cultivation under mid altitude condition 1650–1850; universal

head rice recovery, moderately resistant to blast, maturity

particularly at seedling stage, high degree of resistance to blast, suitable for high hills of the valley (1800–2150 m). The variety has high head rice recovery, easy threshability, sticky type of grain, short bold grains, and matures in 138–140 days

Suited to non-basmati growing areas, yield potential 20–30 q/ha;

greater tolerance to cold, moderately susceptible to blast. Recommended upto 1650 m amsl, maturity 138–140 days.

**release**

China 1039 and China 1007 were the most popular varieties during 60s and 70s; K39 was the dominant rice variety from 80s to mid-1990s; while Jhelum took over as the most popular variety for the decade beginning from mid 90s. This variety has an excellent cooking quality and is most preferred even today, but due to its susceptibility to blast there has been a decline in its area. In order to save farmer's interests a blast tolerant variety Shalimar Rice-1 was released in 2005 by the State Varietal Release Committee for the valley basin irrigated areas of Kashmir. This was followed by release of Shalimar Rice-2, Shalimar Rice-3, Shalimar Rice-4, all of which are blast tolerant and have good cooking quality (**Table 1**).



**Table 1.** The most popular rice varieties and their salient features.

**Variety and year of** 

**Plains (upto 1650 m amsl)**

**Cross combination Salient feature**

are blast tolerant and have good cooking quality (**Table 1**).

42 Rediscovery of Landraces as a Resource for the Future

China 1039 (1955) Introduction Yield potential 50–55 q/ha, cold tolerant, lodging and shattering

(temperate zone) is approximately 120 km long and 32 km wide with an altitude range of 1524–2286 m amsl. Annual precipitation varies from 700 to 1500 mm. The temperature remains generally low, varying from −10°C during winter to 30°C during summer, with a yearly average of around 13°C. Generally, soil in rice growing areas is clay loam with a neutral pH. The economy of Jammu and Kashmir is predominantly agrarian, rice being the staple food and the most important food crop occupying an area of almost 140 thousand hectares. There are many well-known landraces of rice in Kashmir, noted for their unique qualities, peculiar taste and texture after cooking, early maturity and cold tolerance. When Green Revolution made its impact in India, the state of Jammu and Kashmir did not lag behind. Some introductions from China like China-1039, China 1007 and locally bred varieties like K-39, Jehlum and Chenab spread to every nook and corner of the state through vigorous political and infrastructural support by way of different Govt. sponsored schemes. As a result, faster replacement of indigenous low yielding landraces by modern High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) took place in the sixties and the entire rice area of Kashmir valley got covered under a few varieties. China 1039 and China 1007 were the most popular varieties during 60s and 70s; K39 was the dominant rice variety from 80s to mid-1990s; while Jhelum took over as the most popular variety for the decade beginning from mid 90s. This variety has an excellent cooking quality and is most preferred even today, but due to its susceptibility to blast there has been a decline in its area. In order to save farmer's interests a blast tolerant variety Shalimar Rice-1 was released in 2005 by the State Varietal Release Committee for the valley basin irrigated areas of Kashmir. This was followed by release of Shalimar Rice-2, Shalimar Rice-3, Shalimar Rice-4, all of which

China 1007 (1956) Introduction Yield potential 50–60 q/ha, lodging and shattering resistant, cold

China 988 (1956) Introduction Lodging and shattering resistant, cold tolerant at early stages

China 972 (1956) Introduction Lodging and shattering resistant, cold tolerant at early stages

K-60 (1962) China 47/RIKUU-132 Resistant to shattering and lodging, resistant to cold, maturity

K-65 (1966) NORIN-8/China-47 Easy threshability, lodging susceptible, low head rice recovery,

K-39 (1978) China 1039/IR-580 Yield potential 58–62 q/ha, high yielding, recommended upto

altitude of 1650 m amsl

suitable for low lying areas.

suitable for low lying areas

140–145 days, blast resistant

susceptible, maturity 136–140 days (1650 m amsl). Moderately susceptible to blast, recommended for cultivation upto an

tolerant at early stages of growth, maturity 145–147 days, special attribute: resistant to blast and suitable for low lying areas.

of growth, maturity 147–150 days, moderately tolerant to blast,

of growth, maturity 147–152 days, moderately tolerant to blast,

maturity 140–145 days, suitable for low lying areas

1650 m amsl, mod: susceptible to blast, resistant to lodging, maturity 140–145 days. High head rice recovery (%age)

**release**

Narrow genetic base increases the vulnerability of rice production system to biotic/abiotic stresses and has resulted in yield stagnation. Among the biotic stresses rice blast is the most damaging disease in Kashmir, while low temperature ranks first among the abiotic factors limiting rice production [1]. Further, climate change is also a potential threat to rice production owing to erratic rise/fall in temperature, and change in the dynamics of pests and diseases. These nutritional and food security related issues demand the immediate attention of rice breeders and biotechnologists. Locally available rice germplasm is a valuable repository of traits which could help address most of these concerns effectively. Novel gene pools could be generated from the characterized germplasm and donors for yield, quality and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses identified. Besides, there are some quality rice varieties which when cultivated properly can boost the farm income substantially.

others. The university deposited 1447 germplasm specimens with the National Gene Bank for storage and handed over 557 germplasm accessions to the Germplasm Handling Unit of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi for long term storage. For collection of rice germplasm, expeditions were undertaken by a team of rice experts and scientists to collect the rare germplasm from different areas, among which Tral (Wagad, Shikargah), Pahalgam (Batekoot, Puhri-pajal, Khayar Hapath-nard), Shopian (Balpora, Ganapora, Shadimarg, Kalampora), Badgam (Khan sahab, Chadoora), Kupwara (Nagri malpora), Rajouri and Uri were the prominent ones. Nearly 100 existing landraces of rice were collected and assigned accession numbers, for conservation and maintenance in the seed bank

Rice Biodiversity in Cold Hill Zones of Kashmir Himalayas and Conservation of Its Landraces

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Currently most of the rice fields in Jammu & Kashmir are occupied by merely a small number of high yielding rice varieties, of which K-39, Jehlum, Chenab, Shalimar Rice 1, Rambir Basmati are the prominent ones. This trend is no different than rest of India and other Asian regions. In India the most widely grown rice varieties are Swarna, Samba Mahsuri, Sona Masuri, Jaya, Ratna, etc. In Philippines almost half of the rice area is devoted to four of the most widespread HYVs, Cambodia one single IRRI variety (IR66) accounts for around 90% of the rice area, and in Pakistan only four HYVs are planted on 99% of the country's rice fields. This illustrates the immense 'genetic erosion' that has occurred in farmers' fields since the

At present, 580 germplasm accessions, indigenous and exotic, are being maintained as three row material at Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (erstwhile Rice Research & Regional Station), Khudwani. Almost all these accessions have been characterized for different agro-morphological traits, diseases resistance score (leaf blast, panicle blast) and aroma in a period of 5 years (2008–2013). A systematic and exhaustive morphological and molecular characterization of the 'speciality' rice types has revealed some interesting results [3]. DNA fingerprints of 16 pigmented and aromatic genotypes, mostly of Western Himalayan region (32° 44′–35° 2′ N and 74° 28′–75° 48′ E at altitude range of 1540–2200 mamsl in Kashmir; and 31° 17′ N and 76° 51′ E at an altitude of 1190 mamsl in Himachal Pradesh (India) have been developed and these were evaluated for genetic diversity using SSR markers. Various population parameters viz. range, mean, skewness and kurtosis from the data generated have shown wide range of variability (unpublished). This has enormous implications for future studies on gene/allele mining, as germplasm in Western Himalayas could serve as a vital resource of

The germplasm bank at MRCFC Khudwani maintains some well adapted exotic introductions (including *Goshigon, Chengshi, Koshihikari, Cheolwean 32, Kunusa rex*) and some indigenous introductions (like *Heera, Dullar, Bahrigu dhan*) from other rice growing regions of India. It also maintains some international blast differentials (like C101-LAC, C101-A51, C101-PKT, C105-TTP-4-1-23, RIL 10, RIL 29, NP 125, USEN, Tadukan, Shia-tai-tsau, HR 12, CO 39 etc.) which are being used in the development of blast tolerant rice genotypes [4]

at Rice Research & Regional Station, Khudwani.

onset of the Green Revolution.

genetic repository for marginal areas.

(**Figure 1**).
