**2. Collection, conservation and documentation of rice biodiversity - How and why?**

The advent of Green Revolution had an overwhelming impact on rice production in Kashmir, as was elsewhere in the country. In 1966, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) released the first high yielding rice variety in the Philippines. In the subsequent decade Rice Breeders at Rice Research Station, Khudwani introduced Chinese high yielding varieties viz., China 1039, China 1007, China 988 and China 972 in selected pockets of Kashmir valley. However, in a matter of few years these varieties and the rice varieties developed by the station through crossing programme viz., K-60, K-65 and K-39 (most popular) almost completely replaced hundreds of the traditional rice landraces previously cultivated by the farmers [2]. The new rice varieties had a higher harvest index (grain/straw ratio), and the benefit of delivering significantly higher yields when combined with accompanying management practices, including irrigation, weedicide and fertilizer application. These high yielding varieties spread in favorable environments, where the natural and infrastructural setting allowed for such practices. In unfavorable environments, in which irrigation and mechanization were not possible or agrochemicals were not available, the cultivation of the traditional landraces persisted. These marginal areas (upland environments, high altitude belts, very cold areas, etc.) could serve as a repository of indigenous rice germplasm/landraces. One such niche area is the 'Sagam' belt of Anantnag district, which continues to grow aromatic landraces *Kamad* and *Mushk budji*.

Waking up to the loss of original indigenous varieties of agri-horticulture crops a 'National Agricultural Technology Project on Sustainable Management of Plant Biodiversity (1995– 2005)' was undertaken by scientists of SKUAST-K. Under this project a total 1911 germplasm accessions, which were under cultivation before the introduction of improved or imported varieties, were collected. The collected biodiversity included 742 accessions in cereals, 38 in pseudo cereals, 28 in millets, 71 in oilseeds in pulses, 377 in vegetable crops, 21 in spices and condiments, 13 in fodder crops, 204 medicinal and aromatic plants, 55 in fruit crops and 4 in 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 at Rice Research & Regional Station, Khudwani.

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.

**How and why?**

44 Rediscovery of Landraces as a Resource for the Future

and *Mushk budji*.

**2. Collection, conservation and documentation of rice biodiversity -** 

The advent of Green Revolution had an overwhelming impact on rice production in Kashmir, as was elsewhere in the country. In 1966, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) released the first high yielding rice variety in the Philippines. In the subsequent decade Rice Breeders at Rice Research Station, Khudwani introduced Chinese high yielding varieties viz., China 1039, China 1007, China 988 and China 972 in selected pockets of Kashmir valley. However, in a matter of few years these varieties and the rice varieties developed by the station through crossing programme viz., K-60, K-65 and K-39 (most popular) almost completely replaced hundreds of the traditional rice landraces previously cultivated by the farmers [2]. The new rice varieties had a higher harvest index (grain/straw ratio), and the benefit of delivering significantly higher yields when combined with accompanying management practices, including irrigation, weedicide and fertilizer application. These high yielding varieties spread in favorable environments, where the natural and infrastructural setting allowed for such practices. In unfavorable environments, in which irrigation and mechanization were not possible or agrochemicals were not available, the cultivation of the traditional landraces persisted. These marginal areas (upland environments, high altitude belts, very cold areas, etc.) could serve as a repository of indigenous rice germplasm/landraces. One such niche area is the 'Sagam' belt of Anantnag district, which continues to grow aromatic landraces *Kamad*

Waking up to the loss of original indigenous varieties of agri-horticulture crops a 'National Agricultural Technology Project on Sustainable Management of Plant Biodiversity (1995– 2005)' was undertaken by scientists of SKUAST-K. Under this project a total 1911 germplasm accessions, which were under cultivation before the introduction of improved or imported varieties, were collected. The collected biodiversity included 742 accessions in cereals, 38 in pseudo cereals, 28 in millets, 71 in oilseeds in pulses, 377 in vegetable crops, 21 in spices and condiments, 13 in fodder crops, 204 medicinal and aromatic plants, 55 in fruit crops and 4 in 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 onset of the Green Revolution.

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 genetic repository for marginal areas.

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] (**Figure 1**).

**Figure 1.** Biodiversity of rice, as depicted through a range in morphological variability.
