On-farm status of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genetic resources in Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, India

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the three major food crops of the world and India is the largest rice growing country accounting for about one-third of the world average under the crop. Rice is being cultivated in Northern India since ca 2000 BC as evident from archaeological studies. A total of 103 traditional varieties of rice collected from interior parts, during the study period. The present study was designed with the aim to document the rice diversity and its socio-economic and cultural importance for local farming communities of Garhwal Himalaya in Central Himalayan Region. For collection of information 324 households from 116 villages in the study area were sampled. The study revealed different agroeco-niches of the study area, traditional processing pathways, socio-economic and cultural development, diversity available, factors responsible for erosion/replacement of diversity, aesthetic values and specialized food quality of local rice varieties etc. The number of rice varieties grown and available for cultivation in ten valleys of Garhwal Himalaya were documented so as these can be utilized and conserved for research and development in the future.