Plant genetic resources

Plant genetic resources..........................

1. .~
THEIR DIVERSITY
AND CONSERVATION
K.L. MEHRA
R.K. ARORA

2. ~
t/Sf--2 -

4. PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
OF
INDIA
Their Diversity and Conservation
NBPGR Sci. Mongr. No.4
K. L. Mehra
Director
R. K. Arora
Sr. Scientist & Head.
Plant Exploration
& Collection Division
leAR
NATIONAL BUREAU OF PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
NEW DELHI 110012

5. First Printed 1982
All Rights Reserved
@) 1982, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
Copies available
from:
Director
National Bureau
of Plant Genetic Resources
New Delhi-IIO
012
Published by the Director, National Bureau of Plant Genetic
Resources, New Delhi and printed at Kapoor Art Press, A38/3,
Mayapuri Industrial Area, New Delhi-I
10 064

6. INVOCATION
twr CfWi ~ ~ I
~~t~11
~~~~:I
lIT lJf:l, ~ CWJ:"
[~Wrf.:!~]
This universe is the creation of
the supreme power meant for
the benefit
of all His creations.
Individual species must, therefore,
learn
to enjoy its benefits by
forming a part of the system in
close relation with other species.
Let not
anyone species encroach
upon the other's rights.
[lshopanishads]

8. DEDICATION
To the Late Dr. H. B. Singh,
whose contributions in plant
genetic resources have been a
source
of inspiration in pre-
paring this monograph.

10. FOREWORD
The findings of space exploration on the one hand and the price esca­
lation
of fossil fuels on the other, have both underlined the need for acce­
lerated efforts in protecting the renewable base
of agriculture. We now
know
that mankind will have to depend only upon Mother Earth for its
food requirements. Agriculture, being primarily a solar energy harvesting
enterprise, is the most important source
of renewable wealth in the world.
For the continued growth of agriculture, however, we have to protect the
basic life support systems consisting
of soil, water, flora, fauna and the
atmosphere. All these basic life
support systems are threatened with
varying degrees
of damage due to demographic pressures as well as
careless technology.
The tropics and subtropics constitute veritable mines
of valuable genes
in a wide range of economic plants. These regions also possess many
plant species which are yet to be utilized properly by man. Also new
demands such as the need for quick yielding fuel trees
and for hydrocarbon
rich plants make it necessary
that we preserve as much of the native flora
as possible so that new plants
can be found to meet new needs. Many
scientists have underlined the urgency
of arresting genetic erosion through
the conservation
of threatened genetic resources of plants. A first step
in all activities concerned with the conservation, evaluation
and utilization
of genetic resources of plants is the organization of surveys and collection
of such materials. The results of such surveys have to be documented
carefully in order to provide reliable information to all engaged in the
collection, evaluation, documentation
and conservation of plant genetic
materials.
The late Dr. H.
B. Singh rendered a monumental service to Indian
agriculture
both through his pioneering efforts in plant collection and
introduction, and in the documentation of all available information from
time to time. I am happy
that Drs. K. L. Mehra and R. K. Arora have
maintained this tradition and have prepared the present monograph
on the
Plant Genetic Resources
of India.
This monograph contains very valuable information
not only on the
occurrence
of variability in different crop plants 'in India but also on its

11. collection and maintenance in different research institutes and organiza­
tions. We owe a deep debt
of gratitude to Drs. Mehra and Arora for
this labour
of love. It is appropriate that the monograph has been
dedicated to the late Dr.
H. B. Singh. This monograph will not only
be u~rul as a source of information but will also help to stimulate
young scholars in undertaking work in the field
of genetic resources
conservation.
April,
1982 M. S. SWAMINATHAN
Director General
International Rice Research Institute
Manila, Philippines

12. PERSPECTIVE
This report on the plant genetic resources of India is an up-date of one
produced in
1973. It lists current holdings, priorities for further collecting
and amply summarizes the work carried out in recent years under the
directorship
of Dr. K. L. Mehra. It is a pleasure to note the long history
of genetic resources work in India.
The plant genetic resources work of India grew out of a long-standing
programme
of plant introduction. Now, as never before, the collections
include large numbers
of indigenous samples which will be of so much
more use
in breeding.
The report clearly
demons~rates that two major aspects of the national
programme will be critical to the continued success
of the work : firstly
storage, so that the material will be preserved in the best conditions;
and
secondly documentation, so that information about samples is readily
available. When these have been implemented, the Indian national pro­
gramme will take its rightful place as a major effort
fn the world network
of crop germplasm centres.
March,
1982 J. T. WILLIAMS
International Board for Plant Genetic
Resources, Rome, Italy

14. PREFACE
In 1973, a report on "Survey of Crop Genetic Resources in their
Centres
of Diversity", was published by FAO/IBP, wherein the Indian situa­
tion was presented by the late
Dr. H. B. Singh, an eminent plant explorer,
to whom this monograph
is dedicated. In recent years, due to the gradual
replacement of traditional varieties
and land races of crop plants by high
yielding varieties/hybrids, action programme was intensified
on collection,
preservation and evaluation
of such plant genetic resources. Therefore,
to
plan future national strategies on genetic resources management, a re­
appraisal
of the past activities and the present status of crop plant diversity
was considered inevitable. Coinciding with the decade
of UN Conference
on Human Environment, the Department of Environment, Government
of India, decided to bring out a status report for this period on all activities
undertaken during the Seventies related to environment
and human wel­
fare, including those
on plant genetic resources. Thus, when we were
approached to prepare a
chapter on "Plant Genetic Resources" for this
report,
we gladly accepted this responsibility. It also coincided with the
holding
of the "Third South Asian Training Course on Plant Exploration
and Collection Techniques", in this Bureau, in which providing such an
information to the trainees was considered beneficial.
This write-up gives
an insight into the nature and extent of genetic
diversity in cereals, millets, grain legumes, plantation crops, fruit and
vegetable crops, oilseeds
and fibre crops. The forage crops, spices/
condiments and medicinal types
and useful wild plants, are also
briefly mentioned. Information
is presented on the extent of germplasm
exchanged during the last decade
and on the germplasm collections made
through crop-specific
and mUltiple-crop exploration missions undertaken
in India and abroad. The existing germplasm holdings with the Bureau,
at its headquarters and the Regional Stations, and those with different
ICAR institutes/Coordinated Projects, are tabulated for several crops ahd
the progress
on their documentation is summarized.
The future plan
of action envisages; (i) collection of genetic resources
of specific crops in priority areas; (ii) the establishment of a long term
genetic resources repository;
(iii) creation and management of a net work

15. of biosphere reserves for in situ preservation of genetic diversity; and (iv)
the development
of computer-based system of documentation and retrieval
of information on all aspects of genetic resources management. The pro­
gress made in these aspects
and the ways and means to implement them
are also summarized.
,
We are extremely grateful to Dr. O. P. Gautam, Director General,
I.C.A.R , and Dr M. V. Rao, Deputy Director General (CS), I.C.A.R.;
Dr. S. Z. Qasim, Secretary, Department of Environment; and Dr. M. S.
Swaminathan, Member, Planning Commission, Govt.· of India (presently
Director General, International Rice Research Institute, Manila,
Philippines), for their advice
and encouragements, and to the Inter­
national Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Rome, Italy, for financing
this publication. The suggestions
and help received from Dr. J. T.
Williams, Executive Secretary,
and Dr. N. Murthy Anishetty, Asst.
Executive Secretary, I.B.P.G.R., are thankfully acknowledged.
To
Dr. M. S. Swaminathan and to Dr. J. T. Williams, we owe a special
debt of gratitude for writing foreword and perspective for this monograph.
Finally,
we are thankful to the Directors/Project Coordinators of different
ICAR Institutes/ Projects, for providing information on their existing hold­
ings
of different crops and to our colleagues in the Bureau, for their help
from time
to time.
K. L. MEHRA
R. K. ARORA

16. INVOCATION
DEDICATION
FOREWORD
PERSPECTIVE
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
CONTENTS
AGRO-ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF INDIA
THE INDIAN GENE CENTRE
ApPRAISAL
OF GENETIC DIVERSITY
Crop plants
Wild plants
of agri-horticuitural
importance
BUILD-UP OF GENETIC RESOURCES
Exploration and collection during
seventies
Germplasm exchange during
seventies
Future exploration
and collection
activities
GENETIC RESOURCES CONSERVATION
In-situ conservation
Ex-situ conservation
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
REFERENCES
ApPENDIX
PAGE
iii
v
vii
ix
xi
2
2
6
33
42
52
54
56

18. INTRODUCTION
Plant Genetic Resources represent the sum total of diversity accumulated
through years
of evolution under domestication and natural selection. This
assemblage
of genetic diversity of economic plants and their wild relatives
presents
an enormous wealth of genetic variation for use in the current
plant improvement programmes
and for catering to the unknown needs of
the future. Principally, the genetic resources of crop plants come from
(a) the wild species and primitive forms in primary centres
of diversity,
(b) plant introductions/migrations/transdomestications in the secondary
centres
of diversity and (c) the materials bred through meticulous plant
breeding programmes. Thus, this topic is concerned with economic plant
diversity,
of current or potential use, involving the wild, primitive and the
cultivated types.
Impact
of green revolution, agricultural extension or intensification of
land use programmes under better technology, farming inputs vis-a-vis availa­
bility
of high yielding varieties to suit varied land/farming and low input
systems/eco-climates; has decreased the area under native cultivars. The
traditional genetic resources are gradually getting obsolete as cultigens, result­
ing in the erosion
of indigenous plant wealth. Wide spread international
and national exchange of plant germplasm for meeting the current needs of
the plant breeders and the subsequent increase of area under the high yielding
varieties programmes have further threatened the survival
of the local types.
This problem
is of national and global concern. Thus, systematic efforts
should
be made to conserve the available plant genetic diversity.
Awareness about the plant genetic wealth
of India was generated in the
earlier half
of the twentieth century with the setting up of the Botanical
Survey
of India, the Central and State Departments of Agriculture and the
well organized network
of Forestry. Parallel to these activities was the
work carried out on the Indian Flora
and the Economic Plants of India
(Hooker, 1872-97; Watt, 1889-1893), the latter culminating into voluminous
information on the genetic diversity
of economic plants occurring in India.
With the setting
up of the State Agricultural Departments and the Cent~al
Agricultural Research Institutes, Crop Improvement Programmes were
initiated. Sporadic surveys were undertaken for the collection
of indigenous
established cultivars, viz.,
of wheat (Howard and Howard, 1910), jute
(Burkill and Finlow, 1907), tea (Bezbaruah, 1968), sugarcane (Thuljaram
Rao
and Krishnamurthy, 1968), legume crops (Shaw et al., 1931, 1933), rice and
several others. To accelerate the pace
of this activity, a nucleus plant collect­
ing and exploration wing was estalished in the mid-1940's
at the Indian

19. 2
Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, as a national effort towards the
survey, collection, study, use and preservation
of the existing genetic resour­
ces of selected crop plants. This wing, which gradually expanded into a
Division
of Plant Introduction in JARI in the sixties, became in 1976 a full­
fledged independent
organization-the National Bureau of Plant Genetic
Resources. The Bureau undertakes and coordinates the work
on (i) the col­
lection and maintenance; (ii) evaluation and documentation; (iii) conserva­
tion;
and (iv) exchange and quarantine activities on plant genetic resources.
In addition, such activities are looked after by the Botanical Survey of India,
Howrah, primarily for the wild plants, and the Forest Research Institute,
Dehra Dun, for plants
of forestry importance.
Such activites
at the national level, take into consideration the policy
decisions
and co-operative efforts of international agencies like the Inter­
national Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR), United Nations Envi­
ronmental Programme (UNEP) and the Man and Biosphere programme
(MAB). Since the last decade especially after the Stockholm Conference
on
Human Environment, much work has been activated under these inter­
national programmes, through the co-ordinated role
of the Department of
Science and TechnologyfNational Committee on Environmental Planning
and Co-ordination (NCEPC), Department
of Environment and the Indian
Council
of Agricultural Research. Two earlier country reports (Mehra and
Arora, 1978b and
1981) dealt with certain aspects of plant genetic resources
activities and this report deals with an appraisal
of the past activities, evalua­
tion
of the plant genetic diversity, and actions underway or proposed in the
man-agemellt and conservation
of plant genetic wealth in India.
AGRO-ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF INDIA
India is located between 8° N-38°N and 68°-97SE and exhibits extreme
variation in altitude, from sea level to heights above vegetational limits in the
Himalaya (ca 3500 m).
It is also characterized by a variety of cJimates, from
the monsoon tropical in the south, to the temperate and alpine in the north­
western Himalaya and to the extremely arid in the north-western plains.
It is floristically extremely rich with more than 60 % of its botanical wealth
(over 15,000 species
of higher plants) being endemic. This makes the
Indian region botanically unique and interesting.
Based on the physiographic, climatic and cultural features, eight agro­
ecological regions are recognised in India (Table I, Murthy and Pandey,
1978).
THE INDIAN GENE CENTRE
The Hindustani centre of diversity (Zeven and Zhukovsky, 1975) has its
own specific genetic wealth
of plant species. Important genetic diversity in-

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eludes bamboos, fruit trees (Mangifera indica, Musa spp., Citrus spp.),
cucurbits
(Cucumis, Luffa and others), grain legumes (Vigna mungo, V.
radiata, V. unguiculata), Oryza sativa, Piper spp. Elettaria cardamomum,
Curcuma
spp., Zingiber officinaie, Saccharum spp., and Corchorus capsularis,
etc.
Species
of this centre have influenced the agricultural development of
ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Sumerian, the Hittite Civilization (Tigris(
Euphrates/Nile river basins) through their early spread to these regions
of the
Old World. Also during the early Christian era, several Indian cultivars were
taken
to South-East Asian countries by the Buddhists. Much early exchange
of plant material had also existed with Africa, while many crops, viz. Citrus,
cotton, jute, rice, sugarcane, were distributed, especially to the Mediterranean
region by the Arabs in the 8th-10th centuries A.D. Similarly, several New
World domesticates were introduced into India
and reciprocally Indian
cultigens were subsequently introduced into the New World.
The major plant genetic resources
of which rich genetic diversity occurs
in India, are given below.
For several of these, India is also a primary or
secondary centre of diversity.
Cereals
Millets
Legumes
Oilseeds
Fruits
Oryza satira, Triticum aestivum and ssp. sphaero­
coccum,
and Zea mays.
Coix lacryma-jobi (soft-shelled fonns), Digitaria
cruciata
var. esculenta, D. sanguinalis, Echino­
clzloa colonum, Eleusine coracana, Panicum
miliare, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Pennisetum
typhoides
and Sorghum bicolor.
Cajanus cajan, Canavalia ensiformis, Cicer arieti­
num, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, Dolichos unif/orus,
Lablab niger, Mucuna capitala, M. utilis, Vigna
aeonitifolia,
V. mungo, V. radiata, V. umbel/ala
and V. unguiculata.
Brassica campestris
var. sarson and var. toria,
B. juncea, Carthamus tinctorius, Citrullus eolo­
cynthis, Eruea vesicaria, Guizotia abyssinica,
Linum usitatissimum and Sesamum indicum.
Artocarpus heterophyllus, Citrus indica,
C. iatipes,
Feronia limonia, Garcinia indica, Manilkara
hexandra, Mangifera indica, Musa
spp. (AB, AAB
group),
M. balbisiana, Syzygium cumini, Zizyphus
mauritiana.

23. 6
Vegetables
Medicinal and aromatic
plants
Spices
Miscellaneous Alocasia cuculata, A. macrorrhiza, Amorpho­
phallus campanulatus, Capsicum annuum,
Citrullus lanatus
var. fistulosus, Coccinea cordi/o­
lia, Colocasia esculenta, Cucumis sativus, Cucur­
bita
spp; Dioscorea spp; Lagenaria siceraria,
Luffa acutangula, L. aegyptiaca,
L. hermaphro­
dita, Moringa olei/era, Raphanus sativus, Rumex
vesicarius, Solanum melongena
and Trichos­
anthes cucumerina.
Anethum sowa, Carum copticum, Croton tiglillm,
Cymbopogon j!exuosus,
C. martini, Datura metel,
Hydnocarpus laurifolius, Rauvolfia serpentina,
Strychnos nuxvomica, Saussaurea lappa, Vetiveria
zizanoides.
Amomum aromaticum, A. xanthioides, Curcuma
amada,
C. angustijolia, C. domestica, C. zedoaria,
Elettaria cardamomum, Piper longum, Zingiber
officinale.
Bambusa arundinacea, B. strictus, B. tulda, Can­
nabis sativa, Cephalostachyum capitatum, Cocos
nuci/era, Corchorus capsularis, Crotalaria juncea,
Dendrocalamus hamiltoni, Dendrocalamus longis­
pathus, Gossypium arboreum, Hibiscus cannabinus,
Me/ocanna bacci/era, Neohouzeaua dullosa,
Ochlandra travancorica, Saccharum
spp., Sinoca­
lal1111S giganteus.
ApPRAISAL OF GENETIC DIVERSITY
Crop plants
The current variability
in genetic resources of various crops has been
much augmented during the last decade through collections made within and
outside the country and through plant introductions from abroad. A
crop-wise review
of genetic diversity based on earlier accounts and Bureau's
work is briefly given below (Arora and Mehra,
1978, 1980, 1981; Anon,
1980; Mehra and Arora, 1978a; Singh, 1973). Traditional and improved
varieties
of field crops have been recently reviewed (Ram, 1980, Appendix I).
Therefore, only predominant traditional and selected improved varieties are
discussed here.
(a) Cereals and millets
Rice (Oryza sativa)
Collections (over 20,000) of rice from different regions of India possess
much variability
in several morpho-physiological characteristics. Of over

24. 7
5500 varieties, about 700 are of improved cultivars selected from local stocks.
Such noteworthy types include Kolamba, Zinya, Bhadas and Kada
of
Maharashtra; Kitchili, Nellore Samba, Molagolukulu and the upland rices
Budama and Gilama
of Tamil Nadu; Bobbli Bhutta, Sorumundabali and
Chudi
of Orissa: Patnai, Nagra, Kale, Bhatmuri, Dadnkani and Kalma of
West Bengal; Sathi (short growing with sheathed ear), Sarva and Deola­
all early varieties of U. P.; Bhondu, Budhiabuho, Luchai (stiff-strawed) of
M. P.; fine rice varieties Basmati, Mushkan and Hansraj and coarse type
Jhona and medium quality Palman
of Punjab; Baber, Lonazen, Budiji and
Mushka Budiji of Kashmir and several others from other States. However,
with the spread
of new dwarf types from IRRI and those lately/recently
released within the country (e.g., Pusa2-21, IR8, IR 20, Jaya, Ratna), the
native improved types are fast losing their importance.
Among areas possessing variability in Indian rices, the important ones
surveyed
so far are the north-eastern tract, the western hilly region of Orissa
and the north-eastern Deccan Plateau. These areas have provided valuable
genes for disease resistance, adaptability, variable plant habit and grain type.
In the north· eastern region. different ethnic groups often grow their own
locally adapted rice varieties on physiographically diverse terrains. Rices
grown under shifting cultivation provide drought resistant forms. Much
ecological variation occurs
in the tall indica types, largely predominant in
this tract. A
few short statured (70-105 cm) forms with dark green/
semi-erect leaves with good plant type have also been observed. A
few
collections from Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur (higher hills) also resemb­
led the
japonica forms. Glabrous types also occur, with sporadic cultivation
of glutinous forms in the Garo hills (Meghalaya), parts of Manipur and
Mizoram, and in other hilly areas. This material showed wide range of mor­
phological variation viz., in clustering
of spikelets, ear length (up to 32.5
cm), medium sized grain, kernel colour-light to deep red (in some dorsal side
deep purple and ventral side red), stiff straw and several grains per panicle.
Garo hill types particularly, were found to have drought resistance, and a
few
collections also possessed resistance to blast, gall midge and stem borer.
Genes for photo-insensitivity, glabrousness, drought-resistance and stiff straw
also occurred in collections from Naga hills, Tuensang area, Sikkim and
Manipur. The Mizoram material provided types resistant to brown plant
hopper. Sikkim collections comprised several fine-grained types.
The mountainous tract, in the western part
of Orissa, possessed rich
variability in local rices, viz., early type, Satika, from Haldi and late
t,pe,
Kathi, from Koraput and Gujamuan from Hydalpur, having the maturity
range
of 64-140 days. Grain size varied from 5.5 mm (Nababi dhan and
Asinchitta) to
11.5 mm and above (Hatipajira, Yerrabanka). Much varia­
bility occurred in glume/husk, kernel colour. The kernel was mostly white

25. 8
or dirty white, but types possessing red, brown or intermediate colour
forms also occurred. Types with high protein values were also collected.
This
area was rich in wild forms of rices and introgression of wild genes
from O.
perennis into cultivated O. sativa had also taken place; spontanea

types also occurred.
Likewise, the hilly areas
of north-eastern peninsular tract, extending to
parts
of Bihar, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh (Deccan Plateau) possessed
ethnic diversity
and variability in local forms of rice. Much variability
was also collected from the Malabar region. Some collections
of native
types made from the Himalayan tract (from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
and from Uttarkhand Himalayas) exhibited tolerance to cold.
Maize
(Zea mays)
Much variability has been collected (Bhag Singh, 1977). The Indian
material
is especially noteworthy for its adaptation to tropical and sub­
tropical conditions. The release
and spread of hybrids (Ganga 1, Ganga 101,
Ranjit, Deccan, Ganga-5, Ganga Safed 2, Hi-Starch, Ganga
4, Himalayan
123, Ganga 3, VL 54) and composites (Vijay, Amber, Sona, Kisan, Jawahar,
Vikram) in areas, where lbcal cultivars were previously grown, has provided
additional variability since several farmers use their produce for raising next
year's crop. During the decade, several collections were added from the
north eastern region, the western Himalayan region
and the peninsular tract.
Among the promising collections, early ripening flint groups, represented by
stocks like Sathi (60 days)
of Punjab, Tinpakhia of Central and Eastern
D.P.
and Kathari of Gujarat, are important. Similarly, Malan White, a
semi-dent type from Kumbahlgarh (1000 m) near Udaipur in Rajasthan,
with 120 days maturity
and growing ca 120 cm tall, and with cobs possess­
ing straight rows
of white grains, is noteworthy. Variety, Udaipur Selected,
was developed from this material. The Jaunpuri material
is a cream/yellow,
small grained flint type with tapering ears. Morpho-agronomically similar
types are
the Kalai (Aligarh) and K. T. 41 (Kanpur) types. The lullundhuri
types
of Punjab, with deep orange flint grains, are comparable to Cuban
flints, possessing short ears. Jullundhuri local (punjab) and Bassi Selected
(Rajasthan) also belonged
to this group.
In the hills, much variability occurs. In the northern hills, Solan
types are characterized by yellow to orange, shining, bold flint grains
produced on 10-12 kernel rows. The north-eastern hill material exhibits
variability in flint, dent
and pop types. The pop-types, resembling the
Argentinian pop corn, are characterized by tillering habit (3-5 tillers)
and prolific cob production (5-8 small cobs/stalk). The Sikkim primitive
material
is of this type, with male and female flowers on the same inflores­
cence. SP 2
is a shorter plant with smaller cobs and considerably smaller

26. 9
grains. Cylindrical
ear types with eight kernel rows also occur in this tract.
In Mizoram, in particular, waxy types are also grown. A few collections of
sweet corn have also been made from Manipur. In the Gangetic plains, the
material from Teesta valley
are more promising, largely being of flint maize.
Sporadic collections made from the eastern peninsular region revealed the
occurrence
of rich diversity in the Bundelkhand material. Equally rich varia­
tion has also been collected from the northern hills. Cold adaptable maize
types have been collected from
northern Sikkim, parts of Lahaul in Himachal
Pradesh
and the Uttarkhand Himalayas, all being tall flint types. Maximum
variation in cob size, kernel rows, grain colour (white, creamish yellow,
brown, red, black
and intermediate types) and cob number/plant, was
observed in collections from the north-eastern region. These materials
possessed additional desirable attributes, like ear number,
upright leaves,
medium stature
and resistance to corn borer, stalk rot and other diseases.
Wheat
(Triticum species)
More native variability has been 'collected in Triticum aestivum and T.
durum than in T. dicoccum and T. sphaerococcum. The Indian germplasm
is mostly
of tall forms, with much variation in tillering capacity, straw,
earhead length, glume/grain colour, grain size, degree
of awning etc. The
indigenous stocks are
known by various names; T. aestivum-Sharbati, Lal
Kanak and Lal Kassarwala of Punjab; Gundum Safed of Delhi; White and
Red Pissi of Muzzafarnagar; White, Saman, Azamgarh Dandi, Buxan White,
Chandausi
of the Gangetic plains; T. durum-Kathia, Jalalia, Khandwa,
Malwi, Wadanak, Gangajali;
T. dicoccum-Samba Popattia. The rapid
replacement
of local types by selections and varieties developed through
hybridization has taken place, particularly with the spread
of the Mexican
material (Appendix
1).
The locallypes possess one or more desirable attributes, viz., disease
resistance (especially to the rusts
and loose-smut), grain quality, adaptability'
to different fertility
and moisture stress levels, etc. Some of these, like,
Kharchia
(T. aestivum/Rajasthan) are also known for their salt tolerance.
Through extensive systematic collections made since 1977, over 1200
accessions were added from
northern hills, Sikkim, M. P., Gujarat,
Rajasthan and Karnataka. Hill collections exhibit variability in various
characters
and adaptability to different latitudinal and altitudinal limits. T;he
hill collections of T. aestivllm, when grown in Delhi, were susceptible to
brown
and black rusts but some of them showed field resistance to yellow
rust. These collections were tall, mostly small awned/awnless, few fully
awned, with slender spikes
and with both red and white, soft grains.
The
thrust in the last two decades has been on the development and
spread
of short statured types possessing various 'desirable attributes. Of

27. 10
the varieties (T. aestivum) released Sonalika and Kalyansona, are the widely
adapted types.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
The collection of the native variability in barley has been a more recent
activity. During the 1976·80 period,
210 indigenous germplasm were collect­
ed of which
245 c911ections were from the hills (Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti,
D.P. hills and Sikkim). A
few collections made between 2700-3500 m
altitude are highly cold adaptable.
The [ndian collections exhibited much morpho-agronomic variation,
particularly for the grain yield, followed
by the ear number. As compared
to other regions, more variation was observed among Himachal Pradesh
collections for plant height, spike emergence, spike maturity, ear-number,
grain weight per spike and
IOO-grain weight. Collections from Sikkim
possessed rich variation in spike length and grain number/spike, while those
from the hills of the Uttar Pradesh were highly variable in awn length.
Ladakh and Sikkim collections were
of early types, with spikes emerging
in about
88 days. Some of them were semi-dwarf (52 cm. tall). D.P.
material was of high grain yielder types. Gujarat collections exhibited high
grain yield, high ear number and good grain weight, and
were also early
maturing, with spikes emerging in
82 days. Some of these collections were
also tolerant to saline conditions.
Among the important varieties are C
164, Kailash, K 24, K 20, Amber
(K
71), BR 32 and NP 113, the former two being resistant to yellow rust
and K
24 being resistant to the leaf stripe. As compared to these, recently
developed Ratna, Jyoti and
RS 6 are better, combining high yield and adapta­
bility. Dolme and Himani are adaptable to the northern Himalayan zone.
Sorghum
The variability in Sorghum occurs both in fodder and grain types, the
local germplasm being of tall forms. The most important grain Sorghum
'Durra'
is represented in Indian collections by S. durra, S. cernUllm and S.
subglabrescens, S. durra being most important, with about nine varieties to
which most of our local types belong. These possess erect panicles, with
white or yellow grains. Some
of the durra types are: Buddajonna, Zinka­
puri Jonna, Pacha Jonna (with semi-compact panicle), Periamanjal Cholam,
Vellai Cholam, Nethai Iota, etc. of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Variability in
cernllum types occurs in uplands of Deccan in Central India,
and possesses drought tolerant qualities. These have goose-necked panicles
and white or red grains. The
globosum variety of S. cernuum possesses bold
and pearly white grains, e.g., Chitta Jonna. Tella Jonna (rainfed types).

28. 11
Genetic resources possessing resistance to different diseases and pests have
been identified among the Indian sorghum collections (Murty,
1963-1967).
Equally rich variability occurs in S. subglabrescens, tall types baving
thin stalks, compact
to very compact panicles, and with white, yellow or red
grains. The diversity is largely distributed in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh.
It includes fodder types like Artsi Cholam or Uppu
Cholam. Var.
rigidum includes the Sun Cholam with red bold grain, while
var.
compactum is confined in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. It is
yellow-grained, viz., local types Chitramanjal Cholam
and Manja Mukkattai.
Other purely Indian types include var.
crungiforme and var. oviforme, grown
in Tamil Nadu"Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh. The white, pearly grain
type Vellai Cholam
is typical of this group. Maharashtra material of local
cultivars has been quite promising
and formed the base for future selections
viz., Sampgaon (source
of Striga resistance), Perio, Desi, Sholapuri, Chapti,
Nialo, Satpani (seven leaf, early)
and Vani. Cultivars resistant to Striga
and drought are available in local types from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Many improved varieties were developed during the early period, some
of which are still grown viz., co-series in Tamil Nadu, NamoyaI of A. P.,
Saonir, P.
S. selections, Ramkel, Aispuri, Maldandis and Sagadi (compact
headed types) selections
of Maharashtra; the Bilichigan, Fulgar white, Fulgar
yellow, Kanki Nandyal, Hagori, Yemigar -all from Karnataka; Budhperio,
Sundhia
and Chasatio of Gujarat; selections of M. P., and R. S: selections of
Rajasthan.
Plant improvement programme in the recent past has resulted in the
spread
of improved/hybrid varieties developed over the years for different
agro-climatic regions (eight hybrids CSH loCHS
8, and seven HYV, viz.,
CVS-l to CVS-7 have been released by the All India Sorghum Improvement
Project),
and these represent genotypes with traits like good plant type,
earliness, seed colour-white to pearly, with high lycine content
(2.35-2.67 %),
and resistance to diseases such as rust and leaf spot and pests such as stem
borers
and shoot fly. Since the local selection pressure has been on grain
types, reasonable variability also occurs in types with good cooking quality,
;:"opping
and baking types, types with sugary endosperm used for roasting or
parching and bread making, and scented types. A wide variation, thus,
exists in Indian genetic resources
of sorghum, providing rich genetic base
for grain quality.
I
Pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides)
The Indian germ plasm is mostly photo-insensitive and exhibits variation
in resistance to different diseases, plant height, tillering, branching habit,
extent
of leafiness, days to mature, ear number, length, bristleness, compact­
ness
and seed size/colour. Bichpuri local, of western U. P., possesses light

29. 12
yellow grain, rich in protein and Babapuri had bold seeds. Glutinous endo­
sperm types are also met with. The collections are susceptible to rust, leaf
spot, smut
and merasmea. Resistance to ergot is available in some stocks. ,
Among insect pests, stocks have been located showing resistance to Merasmea
midge and white grub (Murty, 1977).
Improved types developed in the recent past possess high yield and
shorter maturity attributes. Several varieties and inbred lines have been
evolved
in the process of developing synthetic/hybrid bajra. The important
among them are: Co
1, Co 2, Co 3, Co 4, Co 5, K 1 and K 3 in Tamil Nadu;
AKP 1 and 2 in A. P.; Bajra 207, Babapuri and other selections in Gujarat
and Maharashtra; RSK and RSJ in Rajasthan; T-5S, S 350, S
530 and other
selections
in Punjab and U. P.; and PUsa Moti produced by IARI. Five
hybrids have been developed by using a male-sterile line, Tift 23A, develop­
ed
in the U. S. A. Among them, HB 3 is more adaptable to rainfed, and
HB 4 to adequate moisture conditions. 23A X J 934 is more tolerant to
mildew
than HB 4. Indigenous sources of male sterility have also been
identified (Gupta
and Minocha, 1980). Interspecific hybrids using bajra with
P. purpureum (napier hybrids) or P. pedicel/alum and P. orientale have also
been developed, for use as fodder plants (Patil and Singh,
1980).
Other millets
Much variability exists locally in finger millet (Eleusine coracana), Italian
millet
(Setaria italica), Proso or Chenna millet (Panicum miliaceum), Kodo
(Paspalum scrobiculatum), sawan (Echinochloa colonum) and little millet
(Panicum miliare). More localized variability also prevails in the north­
eastern region for
Coix lacryma-jobi and Digitaria cruciata var. esculenta.
In finger millet, ragi (Eleusine coracana), the tall types exhibit variation
in tillering, leafiness, size/number
of fingers/head, being open, half-open or
closed. In the Indian material, mostly naked grain types occur. Hill
material differs from those
of the plains, being generally of the late maturing
types. Grain colour varies, being white, brown, purplish/reddish but much
variation is not visible in the grain
size. In the Indian material, high ear
number
and length occurs in the Tamil Nadu and M. P. collections. Bihar
and Karnataka materials have several fingers/ear. Early types occur in
U. P. and medium-late types occur in the hills. Collections from eastern
and southern peninsular tract show resistance to blast caused by
Piricularia
eleusine.
Widely adaptable types occur in India viz., Co series in Tamil
Nadu; APK series in A. P.; Kaveri, Poonra, Hansa (with
12 per cent protein
in seeds), Annapurna, and Hagari-l
in Karnataka and B-1 (early), E. 31
(midlate) and A-16 (late) in Maharashtra. Recently released types are Sarada,
PR-202, EC 4840 (summer growing) and
[E 28, the last being early and

30. 13
reslstant to mosaic, blast and borer attack. These types are more syn­
chronous in their tillering than others.
The Italian millet
(Setaria Ualica) is a short duration crop, maturing in
about three months.
It is drought hardy, and is also well adapted to higher
elevation, ca
1800 m. Tall forms generally occur, with some variation in
leafiness, tillering capacity, but more significantly in ear length, compactness,
bristleness, awn length and grain colour (black, brown, creamish). Grain
colour
is more often cream ish yellow. Most of the improved, adapted
material
is known from South, viz., Co-series, Navane 1 (Tamil Nadu); H-I,
H-2 (Karnataka) and
G-l, N-I, H-I (A.P.). Among the recently released
types are Arjuna, ISe 700,701,
MS 1884/2 (early type, in 70 days).
The Proso millet
(Panicum miliacellm) is largely a hill crop, quick
maturing and highly drought resistant. Tall forms, with much variation in
grain yield and the tillering capacity, occur with loose to semi-compact
panicles. Not much variation occurs in grain size/colour which
is generally
creamish.
PV 14 and PV 36 and the recently released Co-I (early type) are
some
of the improved types from Tamil Nadu.
The little millet
(Panicllm miliare) largely occupies the drier peninsular
tract and
is drought hardy. Its grains are shorter and panicles more slender
as compared to those
of the proso millet. In this species also, tall types
with good tillering occur in local germplasm. However, not much variation
is evident in grain colour (creamish)/size. As compared to proso millet, it
is a short duration crop, some local types maturing in
90 days. Early types
PM-2 and PM-296 occur in the Tamil Nadu, possessing better yield and
maturing in about 3 months.
In barnyard millet (Echinochloa, Sawan), the local germplasm is of
drought hardy, tall types, with variation in inflorescence nature, bristleness,
grain boldness, etc. Promising types include variety
K-I, maturing in 120
days and possessing high yield even in soils of low fertility and being suita­
ble for mixed cropping.
As compared to this, Kodo (Paspalum scrobiculatum), a coarse grain
millet,
is extremely drought resistant and is mostly grown in poor soils in
the peninsular region. Tall, rough forms occur with a very narrow range
of
variability in days to flower and grain yield. Locally important types are
Haraka 1 (Karnataka) and
PS 1 (Tamil Nadu). Among the improved types
are Niwas 1 from
M. P. and IPS-158, PLR-I, Cool and Co-2 from Tamil
Nadu.
The soft-shelled forms
of Job's Tear (Coix lachryma-jobi) exhibit much
variability in the north-eastern tract. Tall types occur, varying in leafiness,
tiller number, panicle length/compactness, grain type, etc. Much variation
occurs in shell thickness/colour (blackish, creamish, striated/smooth) and

31. 14
the kernel size. All variability
is of late maturing (4i months) types. A
slight variation also occurs in the sweetnees
of the kernel. As compared to
Coix, slight variability occurs in Digitaria cruciata var. esculenta (locally
called Raishan by Khasis), a miIIet endemic to ShiIIong plateau (1500 m).
Its'Plants are tall, cold tolerant, possessing long fingers
and edible grains.
Profuse tillering
and leafiness also make it a good local fodder plant, apart
from its use for grain purpose.
(b)
Grain legumes
Vigna species
India
is a seat of diversity in several grain legumes, viz., Vigna radiata
(mung bean or green gram), V. mungo (urid or black gram), V. aconitifolia
(moth bean) and V. umbellata (rice bean). Much diversity also occurs in
V. unguiculata (cowpea). Much information on the Indian material of Vigna
species has been provided by Singh et af. (1974), and on rice bean, recently
by Arora et af. (1980).
Green gram (Vigna radiata) :
Indian collections have mostly the deter­
minate growth habit. Semi-bushy
to bushy types also occur, exhibiting
much variation in leaf size, inflorescence
nature and pod type. Variation
also occurs
in days to mature. Early types are used in multiple cropping
systems. Medium duration types (80 days)
are comparatively high grain
yielders. Photo-insensitive types also occur. Considerable variation (green,
yellow, brown, black and mottled) prevails in grain colour, the common
colour being green. A high
proportion of types possessing one or more
specific traits occur in different areas, viz., long pod types
in Maharashtra
and M.P., many (over 14) seeds per pod in collection from Rajasthan,
Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Kutch. Much variation also occurs in
seed size, with bold-seeded types being mainly from Maharashtra
and M.P.
Most of the material is susceptible to yellow mosaic virus. Among local
collections, Co-I from Tamil
Nadu and 24-2 from Punjab are resistant types.
Materials resistant to leaf spot, caused by
Cereospora ementa, occur in
Rajasthan and Gujarat, while Maharashtra and M.P. collections have
resistance to bacterial leaf spot
(Xanthomonas phaseoli). Improved types
are T-I, T-2, T-44, T-5I, D-45-6, D-2-15, No. 24-2, No. 49, N 305, Hyb.
45, Krishna 11, Kopergaon, Jalgaon
17, B. 1, RS 4, RS 5, Pusa Baisakhi,
Co-I, Sindkheta and NP 23. In contrast to these varieties, local types are
more semi-bushy/viny, non-synchronous in fruiting, but possess good adap­
tability
to different environments. Many of them possess dark grain. Much
variation also prevails in cooking quality.
Black gram (Vigna mungo) : Indian collections are semispreading types.
Improved cultivars are mostly bushy
and dwarf, like T-9. Much variability
in days
to mature occurs in plains and hills, the local types usually falling
in medium-late maturity group. Extreme variation in leaf shape and size

32. 15
occurs, but three morphological types could be recognised. Collections vary
in
plant habit, pods per umbel, pod size/colour (greyish, black, buff), hairi­
ness and grain size/colour. Good plant types occur in collections from
Maharashtra and peninsular tract, while collections from the hill region have
generally bold grains. The collections are mostly susceptible to yellow
mosaic virus, but resistant germplasm has been identified among the collec­
tions from Punjab, H.P. and Bihar. T-27
of U.P. is another resistant
material. Though black-seeded types (rough black, smooth black or shin­
ing) are more prominent, green seeded forms occur in the hill region in the
north-east and in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Indigenous germplasm possesses
good protein content
(23-33 %), particularly the collections from Punjab and
Bihar. The material also showed wide variation in phytin phosphorus
content (26.8-29.3
%). Among the improved cultivars developed from the
local materials, some noteworthy ones are: BG
369. ADT-I, Mash 48, Sl-l,
Sg-2, Khargone No.3, Type 9, Type 27, Type 65, Type 77, Sindkheda 1-1,
Gwalior 18, No. 55, NP 6, BR 61 and BR 68. These combine useful traits
of plant type, maturity, etc., to suit different agro-climates and cropping
patterns. As compared to mung bean, the black gram collections are more
widely adaptable.
Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia): Indian collections possess much varia­
tion in growth habit (spreading types predominate), leaf lobation, pod
(straw, smoky, brownish) and seed colour (creamish yellow, brown/mottled
black). The material
is susceptible to yellow vein mosaic virus. Not much
variability occurs in pod size, but some variation
is available in grain size.
~ore promising material is from Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Rice bean (Vigna umbellata) : The rice bean genetic resources were largely
collected from eastern peninsular and north-eastern regions. Enormous
variability occurs in this less known pulse crop. Morphologically, the
material confirms to broad leaved
Rombiya types with hairy plant parts (stem,
leaves, peduncles, pedicels and pods). Chiefly viny types occur, but some
semi-bushy types have also been collected from Sikkim, Manipur and
Megbalaya. Collections possess considerable variation in pod length (8-12
cm) and grain size' and colour. Uniformly coloured and speckled grain
types occur. Black, creamish, green, dark greenish, red and intermediate
seed colour types occur. Creamish and green-mottled grain types were
more common. Long podded types with good bearing and many seFds/
pod occur in Manipur and Megbalaya materials. Medium bold grain types
were common. The material invariably was
of late maturing forms, with a
few early types from Assam. The collections by and large, possess tolerance
to yellow mosaic,
Cercospora and bacterial leaf spot. Protein content
is also fairly high, being upto
24.1 %. The collections exhibit variation in
cooking quality (taste)
of the beans. This legume has great potential

33. 16
because of its high yield and tolerance to plant diseases. No improved
types, however, exist
and the local types are adaptable to cultivation in the
kitchen gardens. Only few types (mostly semi· bushy) are raised in
the fields,
as a' pure crop. In NBPGR, six promising, high yielding types GRRU I
6, have been developed.
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata): Native genetic resources possess much
wider adaptability for growing in the plains, hills
and even in the stress
environment. Good variation is exhibited in growth habit, photo-periodic
and photo-thermic sensitivity, seed size, pod shape, size and colour. Seed
colour varies from white, cream, pink, brown, buff
or different shades of
red among the grain types; and often greyish mottled or black grains occur
among fodder types. Eye patterns and seed coat colour patterns vary con­
siderably. Selection for grain/pod has led to the prevalence
of distinct
germplasm.
Pod size variation includes pods 10-40 cm in length.
The varieties particularly in northern/north-western plains are selected
to suit to prevailing cropping patterns and possess dwarf/erect plant type,
with
good filling of grain/pod, good bearing, early maturity etc. (Pusa
Phaguni, Pusa Barsati
and others). The local types are mostly viny (support
types), with loose filling, medium bold grains and, medium/poor yield,
and
are late maturing. Varying selection pressures have resulted in enriching
the variability of the grain, vegetable and fodder types. Bold grain types
occur,
though largely small/medium bold grain types prevail. Among the
grain types, some
of the promising ones are JARJ Nos 2 and 7; C 321; UPT
1; MPK 11 and K 14.
Red gram or pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) : Native variability includes
perennial forms, late maturing types. Much morphological variation with
purplish flower
and yellow flower types occurs. The tall, local types
differ much in time
of maturity, colour, size and shape of pods and seeds.
Much variation occurs in the central peninsular tract in pod size and grain­
size/colour (creamish, whitish, brown, dark, red
and intermediate and mottled
types). Perennial types have pods with 4-5 seeds,
and irregular bearing;
annual bushy types are early with synchronous maturity and medium/small
pods.
In general, pod length varies from 5-10 cm; and pods vary much in
their colour
and pubescence on the outer surface, possessing green or dark
colour
or blotched with maroon.
As a result of crop improvement programme!>, in the recent past, many
varieties have been evolved suited
to different agro-climatic regions and
fitting into different cropping patterns and agricultural systems. These include
RG 72, RG 97, RG 37, RG 434, RG 476, RG 56 from Andhra Pradesh;
Vijapur
49 from Gujarat; No. 148 from Hyderabad; Cross 86 and Gwalior 3
from M. P.;
s. A. I. from Tamil Nadu;C 11, No. 148, T. 84 and K 132from

34. 17
Maharashira; C-21, C-_ll, Thogari 2 and 3, T 136-1 and T_ S.24 from Karna­
taka; T
17, T ISS, T. 1, T21 and T 7 from U. P.; and B 7 from West Bengal.
The material from
M. P., Maharashtra and Karnataka includes wilt resistant
types. The variability offers maturity range
of 160-240 days but with
medium high yield. The central peninsular tract and the northern plains
now exhibit good variability among the early types. Selections (K-132) for
good cooking quality also occur. Determinate plant-type introduced from
Brazil has been used in developing Pus a Ageti. Similarly, non-branching,
single stem plant-type has been isolated among collections from M. P.
Gram (Cicer arietinum) : Indian collections are largely ofsemi-erectjsemi­
spreading types with good branching. These are medium tall or low,
and
possess wide adaptability. Much variability occurs in pod size, grain size/
colour, bearing, etc. The seeds vary in shape; nature
of beak, round-semi­
round; surface-semi-smooth/semi-wrinkled. The seed coat is brown, light
brown, fawn, yellow, orange, black, white, green, and seed surface
is smooth,
puckered, granular or tuberculate. Much native variability occurs in central
peninsular and western India, including parts
of Maharashtra, and, in the
north, in
U. P. The local types, though hardy, mature late.
Improved types have been developed in the recent past for high yield,
better grain quality, quick growth, early maturity
and resistance to wilt,
blight and rust, and to the field and storage pests, better foliage associated
types for cattle feed, and suitability to poor soils, viz., selections from Arnej
and Dehad in Gujarat; Chafa, Gulab and several others, Niphad types from
Maharashtra; several types bred
at Jabalpur and Gwalior in M. P., viz.,
Gwalior
2, U jjain 2, U jjain 21, U jjain 24; Co-I, Tamil Nadu; Karnataka,
18-12, Kadale 2, Kadale 3; bold grain types Badachana, green grain type
Hara chana or Pachecha, Punjab; S-26, C 24, C
235, C 104; Rajasthan RS 10;
U. P. Type I to 3, Type 87, K-4, K-5; Selections 75 and 98 from W. Bengal,
and for the north, north-western India
by IARI; NP 17, NP 25, NP 28,
NP 58 and others. Indian selections also possess, good amount of variation
in the protein and ascorbic acid content. Further, these also vary much in
their grain quality for parching, flour, etc.
Phaseolus group (French bean, PhaseD Ius vulgaris and related types);
The Indian collections are largely
of the pole types, semi-pole or runnerMpe
and the dwarf-bushy types. The crop being a centuries-old introduction,
much variability has been built up, particularly in grain and vegetable types.
The types are now well adapted to local conditions. Widely adaptable
materials, including collections from high altitude zone (2800 m), have been
collected from the western
and eastern Himalayas. Much variation occurs
among vegetable types in pod character (flat, compressed round, with string
and stringless forms) and among the grain types in grain colour. Among

35. 18
white/buff, yellow, red, dark purple and various intermediates and the mott­
led forms, red or mottled red, white and bright brick coloured, mottled type,
medium
bold-bold grain types, are preferred for grain purposes. Much
v~iation in cooking quality and taste etc., is evident in the Indian germplasm.
The introduced, selected,
well adapted types possess resistance to diseases
like anthracnose and powdery mildew. Much
of the bean germplasm has
been collected from the western and eastern Himalayas and from the Western
ghats
hHly tract.
Sporadic germplasm, in these areas, occurs in Lima bean
(Phaseolus
ltinatus)
and Phaseolus multiflorus. The latter with very large, white, black,
red-mottled seeds
is highly cold adaptable and is sparingly grown in Sikkim
(2800 m) and in the western Himalayas.
Peas (Pisum sativum) : Local variability occurs both in garden pea and
in field peas, the germplasm
of the latter being highly cold adaptable and
drought tolerant.
Much germplasm has been introduced in the recent past, and in garden
peas several varieties ocqIr, viz., Bonneville, Lincoln, Yates Early Crop,
Harrisons Glory, Rimpus Alaska, Early Superb, Zelka, Lincoln Blue,
SylVia,
Manndorfer and the recently released variety, Harbhajan. These combine
characters
of better plant type, earliness, good bearing, tolerance to powdery
mildew and other desirable attributes. Much variation occurs in pod shape
-blunt, rounded, semi-blunt; pointed types, straight or curved; and size; grain
filling, shell thickness, etc. Pod colour variation from pale
to dark green
occurs. Seed variation pertains to shape, being either round/smooth, wrinkled
or dimpled (indent form). Both green and yellow cotyledon types prevail,
the latter being used in preparing flour (besan).
Indian varieties (introductions) have been developed from European/
American
and other introduced materials. A few varieties whose exact origin
is not known also occur; e.g., the early, round, green-seeded,
'Hara Bauna'
from Punjab; white, round-seeded 'Lucknow Poniya' cultivated around
Lucknow and Meerut: medium tall, wrinkle-seeded Kaip
of Delhi and western
U. P.
In central region, small podded Khapar-Kheda is popular. In the
Himalayan zone, Kanawari occurs with variability
of smooth and white
seeded forms. In Eastern Himalayas, this
is known as local Darjeeling.
Another Himalayan variety from the east
is Dentam, much grown in north
Bengal-Sikkim region. Among other introduced/selected materials are the
variety T-19 from U. P. and
BR 12 from Bihar-a white seeded variety.
Asanji, a selection from the green round seeded stock,
is called Hoshiarpuri.
It is an early type like the Early Badger, with wrinkled seeds. Late types with
wrinkle seeds are Bonneville, T-19, Green Fast, Khapar Kheda and NP
29;
white and yellow seeded T 163, BR 118, BR 2, Victoria and Manndorfer;

36. 19
Blue seeded Rimpus; Grey seeded BR 178; Green dimple-seeded Zelka, and
edible podded Sylvia.
In
field peas, considerably less variability occurs. In the white-seeded
group, tall, bold seeded T
163 from U. P.; BR 2 and 188, and a purple
flowered
BR 178 for the hills, are known. Dual purpose types have also
been developed, e.g.,
23 and 43 from Maharashtra.
Lentil (Lens culinaris) : Limited variability occurs in degree of branching,
growth habit (semi-bushy and bushy types), grain size (bold/small) and grain
colour (smooth/mottled brown to blackish brown). More local types have
been collected from the hills
of northern/north-western Himalayas than
those from the Gangetic plains. The germplasm from the hilly region
possesses genes for cold tolerance.
Khesari (Lathyrus sativus) : Indian germplasm largely has a spreading
growth habit, and
is well adapted to drought. Some variation occurs in seed
size/colour (with reddish
or purplish mottling, to comparatively light mottled
more whitish type grain surface). Wide variation occurs in days to mature
and grain yield. Variety P
24 has low content of neurotoxin.
Broad bean (Viciafaba) : Its cultivation is mostly confined to the hills in
the Himalayas; it
is sporadically also grown in the Nilgiris and north-eastern
hills. The variability occurs mainly in pod size and grain size. Seeds are
small to medium or extremely bold. The collections are well adapted to cold.
Tender, smooth green pods are generally preferred. .
Horse gram (Dolichos biflorus): The Indian collections are largely of
semi-prostrate/partly erect types, having long runners. More variability
OCcurs in grain colour (white, creamish, buff, brown, red, black, mottled and
several intermediates)
and size (bold and small grains). Improved cultivars
possess better yield and early maturity, viz., Co
1, derived from a local type
from Ramanathpuram district. The germplasm
is well adapted to drought.
Hyacinth bean (Lab lab niger): Local types are mostly perennial. Much
variation occurs in pod size/colour and grain size/colour. Pods possess
various shapes (straight to curved with and without (minute) much striations/
constrictions), differing in tenderness and surface colour (green, deep/dark
green, crimson or mixed
or blotched). Improved types possess tender pods
with loose seeds. In the more bushy grain types, the pods are better filled.
Grain colour varies from creamish, black, red and brown. Several inter­
mediate and mottled grain types
and medium bold grain types occur. Both
grain and green pod types vary in taste and cooking quality.
(c) Plantation crops
Limited variability occurs in native tea
(Camellia sinensis) germplasm,
and
in recent years, high yielding clonal material has become popular. The

37. 20
native types from the higher hills
are adaptable to cold. The available varia­
tion includes the narrow leaved
sinensis and the broad leaved assamica
varieties. Good variability occurs in coffee cultivars adaptable to humid zone
at medium elevations. In recent years, six varieties and selections of Coffea
arabica
viz., Old Chiks, Coorgs, Kents, S 288, S 795 and S 1934, have gained
prominence alongwith other
CCRI selections in the coffee growing areas.
Old Chiks (from Chikmagalur), the earliest strain;
is known for its high
liquoring quality. Coorgs, from Nalaknad area
of Coorg, and Kents, from
Mudigere zone, are other old varieties, the latter suited to higher elevations.
Cultivars resistant to different races
ofleaf rust occur. Attributes like bean
quality, yield, liquoring quality,
habitat suitability and resistance to diseases
and pests, have been suitably incorporated in Indian/old germplasm.
Apart
from C. arabica, limited variability also occurs in comparatively late maturing
C. robusta.
In coconut (Cocos nucifera), Indian collections from South and the
Laccadive islands exhibit much variation in height, bearing
and nut quality.
Tall
and dwarf types occur. In recent years, several hybrids have been identi­
fied having early bearing habit, better yield potential
and tolerance to the
root (wilt) disease. A few indigenous and exotic collections, e. g., Kappadam,
Laccadive ordinary, Laccadive micro, San Ramon
and Fiji, are also high
yielding.
As compared to coconut, comparatively less variability occurs in arecanut
(Areca catechu). The local types are less productive. Among the indigen­
no us types, Mohitnagar
and among the introductions, Mangala (a semi-tall,
early-bearing variety) are more productive. Several other selections from
the exotic (oriental) material, viz. VTL types, also possess economic attri­
butes.
(d) Fr~it crops
Much diversity occurs in India in banana, mango, Citrus species and Jack
fruit and in the introduced types like grape, guava, papaya, pineapple,
sapota, litchi, pomegranate, avacado
and in a few more.
In banana (Musa paradisiaca), good variation occurs in the table and
culinary types. Varieties suitable for different soil/climatic conditions occur
in both types, differing in fruit shape, size
and quality; both early and late
types with differences in bearing occur. Recently, the
'Robusta' variety is
gaining popularity in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The Virupakshi (Hill
banana) variety occurs in Palni hills (1600 m). Among the recent introduc­
tions into South India is Gros Michel.
Much indigenous variability occurs in Mango
(Mangifera indica). The
varietal number
is very large, with much difference in taste, flavour and

38. 21
consistency of pulp. Different regions have different varieties, including
early and late types. Some
of the early types are: Zafran, Gopal Bhog,
Alphonso in Maharashtra; Memsagar, Krishna Bhog,
Aman Dasheri, Gulab
khas in U.P; and Maldah in Bihar
and West Bengal. Some other promi­
sing mid-late varieties include Langra, Dasheri, Fajari, Chausa, Jaimuria,
Aman Abbasi, Khasul-khas, Sinduri, Sukal, Zardalu, Murshidabadi, Fazli
Maldah, Pairi, Cowsji Patel, Jamadar, Swarnarekha, Benishan, Cherukuro­
sam, Panchadarkalasa, Desavathiyamamidi, Sannakulu, Nagulopalli, Irsala,
Neelam, Alampur Benishan, Totapuri
or Bangalora, Mandappa, Olour,
Kalepad, Peter, Fernandin, Mankurad, Moussorate; and dwarf type, Mallika.
Varieties like Jehangir
and Himayuddin also possess good quality fruits.
Citrus: The diversity in Citrus belongs to C. paradisi, C. limon,
C. aurantifolia, C. reticulata and C. sinensis. Much variability occurs in the
limes, both sweet and sour, particularly in fruit size, quality
and juiciness.
Primitive types occur in the rough lemon.
In mandarin oranges, several
types occur, suited to different agro-c1imatic regions. Nagpur,
Xhasi, Coorg,
Desi Emperor and the Sikkim Orange, are some
of the important varieties.
Much variation occurs in yield and quality of the produce, both in loose
and tight skinned types.
In recent years, Karna Khatta, Rangpur Lime,
Kodakithuli and Troyer citrange have been commonly used as successful
rootstocks for the mandarin oranges. Primitive forms, like
C. indica occur
in the north-east region, where several local types possess very small sub­
sweetish fruits.
C. indica occurs in the Tura range of the Garo hills, Megha­
laya, where a
Citrus-gene sanctuary is being established.
In other species, prevalent genetic resources are of the introduced varie­
ties, viz., Marsh Seedless.
Pink Fleshed Foster and Yellow Fleshed Duncan in
C.'paradisi; and Blood Red, Pineapple, Hamlin, Jaffa, Valencia Late in north
India; Mosambi in Western India,
and Sathgudi and Batavian orange in
South India in
C. sinensis. The latter is also more adaptable to arid/semi­
arid climate
and to low rainfall situations.
In grape
(Vitis vinifera), several varieties have been introduced from
time to time. Over fifteen such kinds are grown, being adaptable to various
regions, viz., Northern
plains-Black Prince, Bedana, Fosters Seedling, Ken­
dhari Dakh, Muscat
of Alexandria and Perlette; dry and temperate regions­
Thompson Seedless, Sultana and Kishmish White; Southern India-:-Bangalore
Blue, Pachadraksha, Anab-e-Shahi, Gulabi, Black Champa, Thompson
Seedless; Western
India-Cheema Sahebi, Anab-e-Shahi and Thompson
Seedless. The vines among different varieties vary enormously in their
bearing, bunch size
and shape, berry colour, size, shape and quality,
and adaptability to different agro-c1imatic conditions and management
conditions.

39. 22
In guava (Psidium guajava), both white and pink-fleshed varieties occur,
varying in skin colour. Popular white-fleshed varieties are Lucknow-49,
Altahabad Safeda and Seedless.
More introductions occur in Papaya
(Carica papaya), popular varieties
being Washington Honey Dew, Singapore and Ceylon. Much variation
occurs in tree and fruit characteristics, the proportion
of plants with male,
female and hermaphrodite flowers varying with the
'Variety. In pineapple
(Ananas comosus) likewise, variability includes early Queen, late type Kew
and types with intermediate maturity like Mauritius. Kew possesses large
fruits, suitable for canning.
In Cheku or Sapota (Achras sapota), many introduced varieties occur,
viz., Cricket Ball, Dwaropudi in Tamil Nadu; Bangalora, Vavila Valasa,
Jonna Valasa, Kirtabarati and Pot in Andhra Pradesh; and Kalipatti and
Chatri
in Western India. Some of these like Pot are dwarf. Both oval and
round fruited types occur.
In pomegranate (Punica granarum), both deciduous and evergreen types
occur, with several varieties differing in rind colour and fruit quality. The
variability is very meagre, being more confined to Western India.
In avacado (Persea americana), some recent introductions from Sri
Lanka got acclimatized to the Nilgiris, viz., Pollock, Paradeniya Purple Hybrid
and Feurte.
In Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), many introductions occur particularly in
Uttar Pradesh. Much indigenous and introduced variablility occurs in
lackfruit
(Artocarpus Izeterophyllus). Singapore variety has attributes like
good fruit yield, size, quality and early bearing. Local types are poor in
yield and much variable in fruit quality, and in seeds per fruit.
Much introduced variability occurs in Litchi
(Litchi chinensis) and over
ten varieties are known for different regions, viz., China Purbi, Deshi,
Bedana and Dehra Rose in Bihar; Rose-scented, Early Large Red, Kalkatia,
Gulabi, Late Seedless in U. P; and China and Mazaffarpur in West Bengal.
These vary in fruit size, sweetness, aril/seed ratio, bearing, etc.
Mangosteen
(Garcinia mangostana) is grown along the Nilgiri slopes and
in the Malabar and Tirunelveli,
but no variability occurs and only meagre
germplasm has been introduced.
Among fruits
of the drier tracts, date-palm (Phoenix dactyli/era) and
jujube
(Zizyphus mauritiana) are better known as compared to Phalsa
(Grewia asiatica),
and minor types like Salvadora. In datepalm, an early
introduction in this country, several improved varieties are now known,
among which Hillawi and Khadrawi are better yielder and in the former the
fruit is sweeter and more attractive.
In jujube/ber (Zizyphus mauritiana). a

40. 23
drought hardy type, several varieties occur varying in the size and shape of
fruit, fruit quality and in shape and size of stone and surface markings.
Prominent variability pertains to types Banarsi Karaka,
:t-.Iarma Thornless,
Pewandi, Jogia, Aliganj
in U. P; Banarsi, Nagpuri, Thornless in Bihar; Kotho,
Meherun in Maharashtra; and Umran and Gola in Punjab, Haryana and
Rajasthan. Local types are hardy, with shy bearing and produce small
fruits.
Much indigenous variability also occurs in aonla
(Emblica officinalis)
and jamun (Syzygium cumini), with differences in fruit size and quality.
Protected trees are better bearers, while the naturally occurring stands
generally have small fruits
and are shy bearing with erratic fruiting. Im­
portant cultivars in
aonla are Banarsi aonla with large fruits, Chakiya and
Pink-tinged being other good varieties.
Equally adapted to semi-arid/sub-humid climate are fruits like custard
apple
(Annona squamosa) and related types. Others, like :fig (Ficus carica),
thrive better in a comparatively hot, humid climate. However, as compared
to these, more diversity occurs in various species
of Morus : M. alba, M. nigra
and others; the former is adaptable to plains, the latter, to the hills. Another
minor fruit
is Karonda (Carissa congesta), suited to semi-arid to humid
climate, and in this good variabiJjty occurs in fruit size and quality in north­
western tract, in Mount Abu and in Khandala Ghats.
Temperate types exhibit equally rich diversity particularly in pome and
stone
fruits-apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot and others. Several varie­
ties occur in apple, viz., popular types like Amri, Golden, Red Delicious; in
Nilgiris, Rome Beauty and Irish Peach. In apricot, about
5 varieties, in
cherry, peach and pear each
10 varieties, in plum, 15 varieties, and in straw­
berry,S varieties are known.
Among other types, limited variability occurs in
Mimusops elengi, M.
hexandra, Myrica esculenta, Prunus jenkinsii, Rhodomyrtus communis,
Garcinia indica, Hippophae rhamnoides, Feronia limonia, Aegle marmelos and
a
few more.
(e) Vegetables
Much indigenous variability occurs in eggplant, cucurbits and okra, and
among the introduced types, in tomato,
Brassica types and in bulbous ctops,
like onion and garlic. Indigenous genetic wealth also occurs in tuber crops,
like taros and yams, including the elephant foot yam, and in introduced
types like cassava and sweet potato.
In eggplant, rich variation in Indian collections prevails in long and
round fruited types, varying
in fruit length/size, ,maturity, colour of skin,

41. 24
seediness, maturity, etc. Widely grown types include Pusa Purple (long and
round), Pusa Purple Cluster and Pusa Kranti ; in
U. P., Benaras Giant and
Black Beauty; in Bihar, Muktashi ; in Punjab, apart from Pusa types, Black
Be~uty, P 8 and P 34; in South, Wynad Giant and Gudiyatham; and in
Maharashtra Surti Gota; and Manjri Gota constitute important varieties.
Some
of the small, oval/long types possess white skin and several of the round
types possess greenish skin. Some, like the Putangi brinjal, are very small
(with much seeds), roundish and thorny. Many
of the local types are non­
seasonal, particularly
in sub-tropical areas in kitchen gardens ; varieties
mentioned above are tuned to
fit in as pure crops and also in mixed cropp­
ing patterns.
Extremely rich diversity occurs in cucurbits-cucumber
(Cucumis sativus),
musk-melon (C. melo), bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), bitter gourd
(Momordica charantia), Luffa spp ; snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina),
pointed gourd (ParwalfTrichosanthes dioica), round gourd (Citrullus vulgaris
var. jistulosus) and comparatively less in ash gourd (Benincasa hispida). In
Cucurbita species, more variability occurs in C. moschata than in C. pepo
and C. maxima.
Locally improved cultigens occur in most of the cucurbits dealt with
above.
In cucumber, Khira Prome and Balam Khira are important, apart
from introductions like Japanese Long Green and Straight Eight.
In Musk­
melon, Pusa Sharbati, Lucknow Safeda, Madhu, Durgapur and Arka types ;
in water-melon, Sugar Baby and several others, including seedless Pusa
Bedana ; in bottle-gourd, Pusa vars.-round and long
types; in bitter gourd,
Pusa Domousmi, Kalianpur baramasi
and Coimbatore white long; in Luffa­
Pusa Chikni, Pus a Nasdhar, Satputia ; in Cucurbita spp., Early Yellow
Prolific and Butternut and others
(c. pepo), Arka Suryamukhi (C. maxima),
Arka tinda (Citrul!us vulgaris var. jistulosus). Much variation prevails in
these, in fruit size/quality, etc.
Non seasonal types also occur, particularly
in bitter gourd. Locally, several forms in
Cucumis melD var. momordica
(Phunt) occur, exhibiting variation in fruit size, shape, rind colour, striation,
flesh colour, taste, etc. Much variability also occurs in fruit shape/size,
colour of starch and taste, etc. in
Sechium edule.
In okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), local types exhibit much variation in
fruit size, and are invariably tall and branching. Pusa Sawani, Pusa
Makhmali and Perkin's Long Green (in hills) are widely grown improved
varieties.
In local forms, pigmented fruit types also occur. Recently, high
fruit yielding selections tolerant to yellow-vein-mosaic virus have been
developed, especially, S-2 and others, by this Bureau (NBPGR), possessing
long and tender fruits, better bearing, medium height and maturity. Overall,
Indian variability includes mostly the ridged types than the smooth fruited

42. 25
forms.
In tomato, much variability occurs and the old types, Meerut Local
and others constitute obsolete stocks, Pusa Ruby and other new introduc­
tions being highly popular. Varieties, like Kalyanpur Angurlata
and
Ponderose in U. P. and Keckruth, Punjab Tropical and SI 12 are the
prevalent types, incorporating useful traits
of earliness, better bearing and
good quality fruits.
In chillies, locally adapted variability occurs throughout the country,
particularly in the south, peninsular region
and in the north-east and the
Himalayan regions. Rich variation exists in plant type, fruit size/shape
(long, short, pointed, smooth/warted, roundish)
and pungency. Both
annual
and perennial types occur. Better yielding types, with good fruit,
have been developed, viz., California Wonder, Yola Wonder,
NP 46A, and
G-I, 2, 3 from Andhra Pradesh. Both green and dry chillies occur.
In the Brassica types-cauliflower, cabbage, knol-khol and others, the
existing material comprises
of introductions made from time to time and in
all
of these, early and late maturing varieties suited to different regions
occur. The situation
is similar for root crops, like, radish and turnip, and
in carrot and beet root. Limited variability occurs.
In the bulbous crops, onion and garlic, many introductions are grown.
In onion, Pusa Red, Ratnar, Early Grano, Bellary Red and Poona Red, and
among white types, Nasik white and Patna white are important. In garlic,
much variation occurs in bulb size,
and clove size, skin colour-white, dull
white to whitish.
In both, pungency varies. In garlic, local selections from
Gujrat-Junagadh, are with much larger cloves. Among others,
Allium
species-A. porrum, A. ascalonicum and A. sc!lOenoprasum occur sporadically, as
backyard cultigens, having rather limited variability.
Leafy types: Among the leafy types, local variability occurs mostly in
Beta vulgaris, Spinacia oleracea. Trigonella foenum-graecum, leafy Brassicae,
amaranth
and to a meagre extent in Portulaca oleracea and Basella rubra.
Improved types also occur in many of these, yielding better and tasty
produce.
In amaranths and Basella, pigmented types also occur.
Tuber crops: Much indigenous variability in tuber size, yield and
quality occurs in Colocasia (taros), Dioscorea (yams) and Amorphophallus
(Elephant-foot yam). The local types largely occur with variation in skin
colour, cooking quality, taste, etc.
In taros, the young shoots and leaves
(vary much) are eaten as
green; green and red petioJar types and Ij~ht to
dark green leafy types mostly occur. In tuber quality, acridity-free types
occur in all these species. However, more improved types/introductions
occur in tapioca and sweet potato, with much better quality
of tubers, yield
and cooking quality, taste, etc. In sweet potato, white and red skinned
types occur and in tapioca, skin colour variation
and flesh colour variation

43. 26
is also prevalent. In Elephant-foot yam, both hard and soft types occur
with light to dark-brown skin colour and flesh colour, low acridity and good
taste. Much variation
is available in tuber size, and local varieties with
small shapely tubers (compressed type) occur in peninsular region.
(f) Oilseed crops
Considerable variability occurs in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), with
spreading, semi-spreading or upright types, branching pattern, maturity
range,
pod bearing, nut/shell size, grain size and oil percentage/content, etc.
Bunch types are erect, early, with light rose testa, while the spreading/semi­
spreading types are comparatively late though better pod-bearers,
and
possessing brownish seeds. Over 35 varieties, occurring among the indige­
nous
and introduced germplasm are suited to different agro-ecological
conditions
and cropping patterns, viz., bunch types from Junagadh; TMV
types from Tamil Nadu; Kopergaon and Karad types from Maharashtra;
Gangapuri from M. P.; Punjab
1, a selection from Samrala local; and other
spreading/semi-spreading types from other regions
of India. Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu materials possess drought tolerant attributes.
In Brassicaceae (Brassica species), wide diversity occurs in India, com­
paratively more in
B. juncea and in B. campestris var. sarson and less in the
dichotoma forms, in toria forms and in taramira (Eruca sativa). Indian
germplasm possesses attributes like good plant type, branching, earliness,
good bearing and better oil percentage, etc. More variation occurs in seed
colour than
in seed size and in shape and colour of the foliage. Well over 25
improved varieties occur, which provide a wide range of variability and wider
adaptability to different environments. Taramira
is drought tolerant. Selec­
tions
are available which possess resistance to lodging, early maturity, bold
seeds and multivalved pods, etc. Indian collections mature in 80-150 days
and comparatively dwarf and early genotypes are suited to multiple cropping
patterns. Highly leafy cultivars occur in the Himalayas and are fairly cold
adaptable. Widely grown types are Pusa Kalyani and Varuna.
The local collections in sesame
(Sesamum indicum) are mostly tall types,
usually much branched, late
and shy in bearing. Much variability over the
years has been developed tuned
to different growth seasons and ranging in
days to mature, capsules per node and number
of branches (single stemmed
to much branched). Much variation occurs in seed-surface (slllooth/reti­
culate), colour (black, red, pinkish, brown, dull white-white, yellow) and
oil content (48-52%). About
25 improved varieties occur, suited to diffe­
rent agro-climates. Photo-insensitive types (N.
32, Gowri, Vinayak and
TMV
3) also occur.
In the central peninsular tract and northern hills, limited variability occurs
in linseed
(Linum usitatissimum). The shallow-rooted types adaptable to

44. 27
the alluvial soils are characterised by high tillering. The Indian collections
exhibit variation in maturity, growth habit, bearing, capsule size
and seed
size/colour. About IS improved types are known, maturing between
155-180 days. Rainfed types also occur. Several
of these are resistant to
rust
and wilt.
In castor (Ricinus communis), while the cultivated types are erect, dwarf,
and herbaceous; the local types are mostly perennial
and tall with erratic
non-seasonal blooming. Local types differ in branching habit, stem colour,
inflorescence compactness, proportion
of staminate flowers on the spikes,
nature
of capsules (smooth or spiny), days to maturity (early or late) and
seed size/quality. The testa exhibits variation in colour
and mottling. Over
twenty improved types occur, varying much in plant type, yield and oil­
content etc.
In recent years, selection has been for the dwarf types, widely
grown in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Oil content upto
55 % is reported.
Dwarf types include Aruna, Bhagya, Sowbhagya, GLH-3, B-1 and 1.1.
Bihar, U. P. and Haryana types belong to the tall group.
In safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), much variability prevails among Indian
collections. Height varies from 30-150 cm, most
of the indigenous collec­
tions being late maturing
and tall, bearing many branches, broad or slightly
curved inflorescences, densely bristled and with different number
of florets.
Both spiny and non-spiny types occur, varying in leafiness, leaf size/shape.
About ten improved varieties are grown which differ in seed yield, oil content
(upto 32.5%) and days to maturity (110-Majira to
140-Nag. 7).
More variability in niger
(Guizotia abyssinica) occurs in central and eastern
peninsular tract. Tall types mostly occur, varying in stem colour, leaf size,
branching habit, days to maturity, capitulum size, number
of florets, etc.,
with minor variation in achene size/shape
but more in yield and oil percent~
age/quality, etc. Over six improved types occur, including early maturing
types and those with oil content upto 43%. Some materials (GA. 2 and
10)
selected in Orissa possess bold seeds, compared to medium seed types No. 16
and 24 of Karnataka which possess 40-43 % oil content. Types, like
Ootacamund, are more adaptable
to cold. Cold adaptable germplasm also
sporadically occurs in eastern hills, especially in Sikkim. Drought tolerant
germplasm occurs in central peninsular region.
I
Among other oil yielding crops, sunflower (Helianthus annulls) has gained
popularity in recent years. Russian introductions viz., Vniimk-8931, Peredo­
vick, Armavirskij, Armaverts and Sunrise largely prevail under cultivation.
As compared to these tall, late types, Cernianka, a short duration
(75 days)
variety,
is grown in mUltiple cropping programmes. The introductions
vary in head size, seed size and oil content.

45. 28
(g) Fibre crops
Prevalent diversity belongs to both Corchorus olitorius and C. capsularis.
MQre indigenous variability occurs in the latter. The available types differ in
plant height, stem thickness, pigmentation, growth period, branching pattern,
leafiness, pod
size, seed colour, and fibre quality. C. capsularis varieties
cover
60 per cent of the jute area, whereas the oUtodus types cover 40 per­
cent, mostly in southern West Bengal. These
varieti~s are suited to low
lying and other habitats and to different mixed-cropping patterns. Several
JRQ types have been selected in recent years for their adaptability, fibre
quality and yield, and resistance to diseases and pests. Types, like Solani,
Chaitali tossa, JRQ
620 have coppery red/red stem; while Sabuj sona,
Shyamali, Baisakhi tossa, Basudev, are green stemmed. Chaitali tossa
is a
non-lodging type, with non-shattering pods. JRC
1108 produces high fibre
yield and is fairly resistant to stem-rot and root-rot. Similarly, Navin
(JRQ
524) yields high, does not lodge and has fine fibre and a stem that rets
quickly.
In Mesta
(Hibiscus sabdarifJa var. altissima and H. cannabinus), limited
variability occurs. Mostly tall, branching types occur in the former, as
compared
to the latter. Variation occurs in the maturity period. Better
adaptability and early types occur more in
H. cannabinus. Much variation
also occurs in pigmentation, bristleness on stem, leaf-lobations/dissection,
fruits, etc. Several improved varieties suited to different agro-climates and
cropping patterns occur in both -HS and HC varieties -HS
4288 with
bristles, HS
7710 without skin bristles and AMV 1 suited to more sub-humid
tracts. HS types are
of late maturity, whereas He 583 and He 867 are
ready for fibre production in about
five months. He varieties also produce
better fibre under storage conditions.
He 867 possesses better resistance to
the spiral borer, as compared to other varieties.
Meagre variability also occurs in Ramie
(Boehmeria nivea). Shrubby,
branched types differ in fibre quality. In recent years, improved varieties
(R 1449, R
1452, R 1411) particularly suited to northern India have been
developed.
Another fibre crop, for which much indigenous variability occurs,
is
sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea). Tall forms occur, differing in photo-sensi­
tivity, branching, leaf
size and stem thickness. Early types, like T 6, are
photo-insensitive. In all, about ten varieties are known, possessing attributes
of high yield, good quality fibre, early maturity and adaptability to light soils
and
low rainfall. D IX and K 12 are resistant to wilt. Nalanda Sanai
possesses good yield and fibre quality, and resistance to shoot borer. West
Bengal-ST
55 yields more than K 12 Kanpur type, a widely grow~ type, but
its further selection, K
12 yellow is high yielding, moderately resistant to wilt
and produces lustrous fibre
of good quality.

46. 29
Flax: Varieties exclusive for use of fibre have been developed. Genetic
resources are
of introduced types. New selections, F 895 and F 896, have
well acclimatized in Himachal Pradesh. These are tall (1.5 m), particularly
those grown in
H. P.
Cotton: Rich diversity occurs in Gossypium hirsutum, G. barbadense,
G. arboreum and G. herbaceum. More native variability occurs in the
arboreum types. In recent years, much improvement has been carried out,
replacing progressively the improved strains evolved earlier. Over 60 varieties,
of the New World and Asiatic species are grown. Some of the newer
materials
of the New World species include medium staple types-Jai;
superior, medium staple types - J 207, SS 265, JK 97, J K 79 and SAT 1;
fine staple types - H 297, PS 10, SS 167, Reba B-50, CP 22/8, CP 1998 F,
CP 15/2 and 25/1,
PS 16, IAN, 579, Suvin, EL 0162, ELS 250 and CBS 157.
The Asiatic group includes, coarse staple types-Lohit; lower medium staple
type
AKH 4 and Iyoti; Superior, medium type -S 3087 and 355.E.6. In
recent years, varieties have been developed under the All India Coordinated
Cotton Improvement Project and the Central Cotton Reseach Institute.
These varieties are especially suited to different agro-climatic zones, soil
conditions and to rainfed tracts, viz., Khandwa 1
and 2 for the rainfed
Nimar tract
of M.P; K-8 (Tamil Nadu) , Mahalaxmi (northern A. P.) and
H. 4 (Gujarat). Sujay
3943 for Southern Gujarat, RS 89 (Rajasthan) and
GS-23, for low rainfed areas
of Karnataka. MCU-5, Hybrid 4 and Vara­
laxmi hybrid cotton are also long staple types. SUjata
is the'high spinning
Egyptian type released in India.
The prevalent genetic resources include types tuned to soil, climate and
seasons and early high yielding varieties with good fibre quality occur. In
north-eastern region, much native variability exists in
G. arboreum, exhibiting
variation in plant height, branching, maturity, boll no./plant, size and fibre
quantity/quality. Materials, that are hardy and drought tolerant and
resistant to several diseases and pests, also occur in India.
(h) Condiments and spices
Rich native diverisity occurs in spices and condiments. In cardamom,
Elettaria cardamomum-two types, var. major and var. minor occur; in the
latter Malabar, Mysore and Ceylon types are better known. Vazhukka
'is a
cross between the Malabar and Mysore types. The genetic resources djifer
in shape and size
of the fruit and its quality, bearing habit, etc. Early types
also occur.
In contrast, bigger cardamom does not have much variability
and this meagre variation
is more localized to north-eastern region, parti­
cularly Sikkim, wherein superior types occur.
Of the several economic species of Piper, P. nigrum possesses much
variability in India, the vines varying in length
of catkins, fruit size, quality,

47. 30
bearing habit and fruit colour.
The important types are known under several
local
names-Balankotta, KaHu valli, Cheriakodi, Uthirankotta, Cheria
K{lmiakadan, Vania Kaniakadan, Perumkodi, Chola, Morata, Arasinamorata,
Doddiga,
Tattisara--in Kerala and Karnataka. Panniyar-l is a new
hybrid variety, possessing high yield
and early maturity, and is also widely
adaptable.
Indian ginger (Zingiber 0 fficinale) exihibits much diversity in forms grown
in different tracts, though introductions since distant past yield more and
are equally well adaptable viz., Rio-de-janeiro and China. Types vary in
rhizome yield and its quality. Both green and dry ginger types occur.
Several local improved cultivars (Thingpuri, Nadia, Narasapattam, Wynad,
Manantoddy, Karkal, Vengara, Ernad Mangeri and Burdwan) are known.
Another important rhizomatous spice is turmeric (Curcuma domestica), in
which the available variation pertains
to size and colour of the rhizome and
in curcumin content. Several locally improved types (Patna variety of Bihar,
Lokhandi of Maharashtra with bright coloured, hard rhizome and light
coloured,
soft rhizomes; ;lnd Duggirala and Tekurpeta of Andhra Pradesh
with long/short, smooth,
hard fingers occur. Equally important in this tract
are varieties Kasturi Pasupa, Armoor and Chaya Pasupa.
(i) Medicinal and aromatic plants
India is endowed with rich diversity in medicinal plant resources. The
Indian Pharmacopoeia recognizes eighty-five drug plants of such kinds, of
which over 20 are commercially important. Many of them viz., Cinchona,
Isabgol,
Opium poppy, Belladona, Mints, Ipecac, Foxglove, Liquorice, Celery,
Rose geranium, Jasmines
and Eucalyptus, etc., were introduced. Indigenous
variability exists in Cassia angustifolia (Senna), Rauvolfia serpentina, Dios­
corea spp, Cymbopogon spp., (Lemon grass, Citronella grass, Palmarosa oil
grass), Patchouli, Vetiver,
Davana (Artemisia pallens), Henna and sweet flag,
etc.
(Gupta,] 980; pp. 1188-1224 in Handbook of Agriculture, revised ed.
1980,ICAR).
(j) Forage crops
Much diversity occurs in fodder types in sorghum, maize, pearl-millet
and oats, and in all of them several specific varieties occur suited to different
regions,
and for different seasons. Early and late types also occur, varying
in fodder quality, yield, etc. Several local/locally improved types, like,
M.P. Chari, Haryana Cheri, Dudhia, in sorghum; Bassi, Jaunpuri in maize;
and several more in other fodder crops occur. Among legumes also, such
leafy types occur in cowpea, cluster bean, field bean, berseem, lucerne, senji,
methi. Similarly, in grass species, like, Pennisetum pedicel/alum, Panicurn
antidotale, Sorghum sudanense, hybrid napier, Cenchrus spp., Dichanthium

48. 31
annulatum, paragrass and in Brassica spp., turnip, stylos, Stizolobium spp.,
limited variability occurs in different parts
of India.
Among others, much variability occurs in India, in
Saccharum. Genetic
stocks vary in cane size, length, colour
and sweetness of the cane. The field
life
of the varieties is short in northern states, where the pests and diseases
problems are serious. The improved genetic stocks occur in early, medium
and late types suited to different agro-climatic regions. Over 60 varieties
fall in the early group, and about
100 in the medium-late group. Most of
these are the types bred at Coimbatore (Co types), with some varieties from
Bihar
(B. P. types).
In tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), the Indian variability of both local and
improved varieties developed in the recent past occurs in Nicotiana tabacum
and N. rustica, the former being more prominent, the latter/sporadic in
northern and north-eastern parts. Local types are tall and varying much in
branching/leafiness, etc. Several varieties occur as count yard cultigens. The
improved types suited
to different areas have been developed. The flu-cured,
bidi, natu, lanka, cigar folder, cheroot, chewing, hookah
and chewing
N. tabacum, hookah and chewing N. rustica, wrapper and burley are the
main tobacco types
and in ~ach of these several varieties occur. In all, over
50 such distinct varieties are available. Among other crops, some native
variability occurs in Soybean with brown, black
or creamish grain.
Wild plants of agri-horticultural importance
It is estimated that about 250 Indian species fall in this category of which
about
60 are rare/endemic types (Arora and Nayar, 1 981). This useful
variability in wild types, occurring in different regions
of the country, has
been, to some extent, collected and utilised in crop improvement program­
mes
or otherwise in bio-systematic studies.
In rice (Oryza), wild perennial form, O. perennis, occurs in Orissa. Much
gene exchange exists between wild perennial weeds, annual and cultivated
annual rice, resulting in forms described as
fatua, or spontanea or O. rujipogon
and O. nivara--the only known source of resistance to grassy stunt virus.
The wild type has procumbent habit, open lax panicle, slight reddish kernel,
shattering tendency
and falua type has attributes like disease resistance. this
is considered as the progenitor of O. sativa. In the Khasi hills, the peren­
nial type
O. officinalis, with sub-umbellate, profusely branching panicles
occurs. Other wild types include
O. coarctata and O. granulata.
The wild forms of Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) occur, predominantly
in north-eastern region, and much variability has been collected. Further,
in the peninsular tract, several other mem bers
of the Old W orId Maydeae­
a group to which maize belongs; viz., Chionachne, Poly toea, Trilobachne,
occur, and could be of utility in crop improvement in the maize group.

49. 32
Several species of Saccharum and its related types, Erianthus, Scleros­
tachya
and Narenga, occur in peninsular tracts, extending to the north-east
region. Some
of the related types introgress with it. Survey and collec­
tion
-of Saccharum genetic resources by the Sugarcane Research Institute in
West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and other areas, has revealed that the north
Indian sugarcane
is derived from S. spontaneum, which hybridizes with
S. officinarum. Natural hybrids have been located. This wild type provides
sources
of resIstance to the red rot and other diseases. '
Among legumes, much variability occurs in wild forms
of green gram,
black gram
and moth bean. Some types locally called van-moong (wild,
Vigna radiata-sublobata type) could provide sources of resistance to yellow­
vein-mosaic virus. Many forms
of this occur, as forest undergrowth
resembling moongjurid, and are being studied in the Bureau, based on the
collections made from the Western Ghats and the sub-Himalayan tracts (the
wild forms
of Vigna radiata and V. mungo (sublobata types and sylvestris
types, respectively). Variation also occurs in Western Ghats in the wild
forms
of pigeon pea-arhar and the bushy species of Atylosia (A. sericea, and
A. lineata) which have been reported to be resistant to wilt. This area also
has viny, twining forms
of small grained, wild, horsegram (Kulthi/Dolichos
biflorus).
Similarly, the wild sem, Lablab niger occurs in the Eastern
Ghats. Among others,
Cicer microphyllum, a species related to the culti­
vated gram, has been collected from the cold arid, Western Himalayan
region.
A wild sesame,
Sesamum prostratum from coastal tract of Andhra
Pradesh, has proved resistant to phyllody
and caterpillar pest.
Though wild forms
of jute (Corchorus capsularis), having branching
habit and smaller fruits, occur in the north-east, variability
of other types,
like
Urena, has also been assembled; as also of the wild species of Hibiscus,
in the Jute Agricultural Research Institute, Barrackpore.
Among vegetable types, wild
okra of north-western/northern In'dia-a
tall type with tuberculate fruits, Abelmoschus tuberculatus has provided
resistance for yellow-vein-mosaic virus in the breeding
of Pusa Sawani, a
widely grown cultigen. The wild forms
of brinjaI, Solanum incanum and
S.
melongena var. insanum are also useful, likewise for disease resistance.
Other wild germplasm includes species
of Momordica, Trichosanthes (wild
gourds) and
Cucumis (Wild cucumber).
Several species
of wild ginger and turmeric (Curcuma, Zingiber,
Hedychium) ;
and in root crops likewise species of wild yams (Dioscorea)
and taros (Alocasia, Colocasia) occur, particularly in the humid tropical
habitats.

50. 33
In the forests of the western and eastern regions, many wild types in
Piper and Vilis occur and several of these have been collected for their
utility. Immense variation in wild species
of Musa, Mangifera and Citrus
(wild banana, mango and orange) occurs in the north-east region. In the
Himalayas, wild forms in crab apple, apple, pear, cherries and others occur
and several of these constitute hardy root stocks, i. e., species of Pyrus,
Malus, Prunus, Rubus, Sorbus, Docynia, Cotoneaster, Ribes
and others.
India
is very rich in its natural wealth of wild forage legumes and grasses.
About 2,000 such species occur,
of which two-thirds are grasses. Selective
collection
of these has been made. The diversity in grasses is located in
five distinct grass covers, located in different zones of the country (Arora
et aT. 1975). The herbage legume variability is concentrated in three/four
phytogeographical zones, including arid, humid
and cold temperate habitats
(Arora and Chandel, 1972).
The prominent diversity
in wild useful grasses includes (a) Apluda
mutica, Arundinella mesophylla, Bothriochloa pertusa, Dichanthium annulatum,
Iseilema laxum
and Sehima nervosum for humid-sub-humid peninsular tract,
with
Imperata cylindrica, Panicum spp. and Phragmites karka in tarai range
lowland
habitats; (b) Aristida spp _; Cenchrus ciliaris, C. setigerus,
Desmostachya bipinnata, Dichanthium annulatum, Lasiurus sindicus
and
Sporobolus marginatus in arid/semi-arid north-western plains; (c) Arundi­
nella bengalensis,
A. nepalensis, Bothriochloa pertusa, Imperata cylindrica,
Ischaemum
spp ; and Themeda anathera in sub-tropical, sub-temperate tracts
of north/north-east; and (d) Agropyron canaliculatum, Agrostis canina,
A. munroana, Bromus spp ; Dactylis glomerata, Festuca spp ; Koeleria cris­
tata, Phleum
spp ; and Trisetum spp ; for cold temperate tracts of western
and eastern Himalayas. Likewise, wild useful herbage legumes are: (a)
Alysicarpus vaginalis and other species, Atylosia scarabaeoides, Crotalaria spp;
Desmodium gyrans, D. triflorum and other species, Pueraria spp ; Rhynchosia
minima, Teramnus labialis, Zornia diphylla,
and species of Dolichos, Glycine,
Mucuna, Sesbania, Smithia
and Vigna in tropical-sub-tropical habitats ;
and
of Cicer, Lotus, Lathyrus, Lespedeza, Medicago, Melilotus, Parochetus,
Trifolium, Trigonella (Cicer microphy/lum, Lespedeza sericea, Medicago
falcata, Parochetus communiS, Trigonella emodi, T. graCilis)
in cold tracts.
BUILD-UP OF GENETIC RESOURCES
Exploration and collection during seventies
In view of the occurrence of different eco-climatic regions, differences in
the pattern
of distribution of native variability of various agri-horticultural
crops and the prevalent ethnic variation in different tribal belts, the National
Bureau
of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, had delineated regions,

51. 34
crops and the areas or tribal blocks to be covered for genetic resources
collection (Table 2,
Mehra and Arora, 1978b).
During the decade 1971-80, the NBPGR organized over 60 explorations,
both within the country and abroad, to build up genetic resources. Of these,
over 50 explorations,
both region and crop specific, were undertaken within
the country and 29,709 germplasm collections representi.ng the prevalent crop
germplasm diversity, were made (Table 3).
More crop specific missions were, however, undertaken during 1975-80
(Table
4) for wheat (Triticum durum and T. aestivum), ginger (Zillgiber
officinale),
jute (Corchoflls spp.), onion (Allium cepa), garlic (Allium sativum) ,
opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), minor millets (Eleusine coracana,
Panicum miliare, P. miliaceum, Echinochloa colonum, Paspalum scrobiculatum
and Setaria italica), cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and for the
medicinal and aromatic plants (Rauvoljia serpentina, celery, Apium graveolens,
and Cymbopogon spp.), and in all, 5846 collections were made. Since the
inception (mid-forties)
of this organization, over 53,400 collections have
been made in various crops from different regions
of the country (Arora and
Koppar, 1981).
The NBPGR also organized exploration missions aboard and collected
over 3000 samples
of genetic variability (Table 5) in several crop plants, viz.,
(a) rice, maize, millets, French
bean and Brassicae from Nepal; (b) green
gram
and winged bean from Indonesia; (c) nuts, melons, chillies and other
plants (wild almonds) from Central Asian Republics of USSR; and (d) rice,
grain legumes, vegetables, etc.,
from Ma1i and Nigeria in West Africa. The
Bureau's staff also assisted the International Board for Plant Genetic
Resources, Rome, Italy, in
plant germplasm collection programmes in
Malawi
and Zambia in 1980 (Arora, 1980) and 1981 (Mehra, 1981).
Germplasm exchange during seventies
During the last decade germplasm collections of various agri-horticul­
tural crops and their closely related wild species were introduced through
correspondence into India,
through the NBPGR's role as a coordinating,
central agency (Table
6) on one hand and several countries and international
agencies
on the other hand. This exchange of germplasm has increased
manifold
due 10 India's participation in the international trials on several
crops being conducted by several International Institutes
under the Consul­
tative
Group on International Agricultural Research.
A quarterly
publication-Plant Introduction Reporter-is brought out
by NBPGR, giving details of the material imported from different countries
and the indent~rs who received the material. Strict quarantine regulations
are imposed by the Government
and carried out by the Plant Quarantine
Service
at NBPGR.

52. II>
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~
.r::
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-5
..c:: o:s o:s ...
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~ -5 >. ... '~ ct1
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~ .S' .,
..c:: ...
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t:l
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8
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...... c.. o:s ...
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.2 .. 0 Co ;::
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II)
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~ ... (.)
.... -
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o:s ... :::
,_ 0
.::;
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II) .!: os o:s :::l «I
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Ul
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8
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57. 40
TableS. Explorations undertaken by the Bureau outside India
Year Area explored Collector(s) Diversity collected Collections
{no.)
1962 Nepal
H. B. Singh Barley, maize, French 871
P. P. Khanna bean, rice bean,
cucurbits
1977 Indonesia
R. K. Arora Winged bean, 52
(Java) green gram
1978 Indonesia
K. L. Mehra Winged bean, 32
(Java) velvet been
1978 USSR
R. K. Arora Almond, filburt, 152
(Central walnut, cucurbits,
Asian capsicums,
and
Republics) tomato
1979-Mali, M. Kazim Rice mainly 330
80 W. Africa
1979-Nigeria, T. A. Thomas Rice, grain legumes, 2900
80 W. Africa millets, vegetable
Table
6. Exchange of germplasm from 1971-1980
Samples 1971-75 1976-77 1978 1979 1980
Total
Imports 27,526 10,809 117,279 130,129 43,946
Exports 5,845 18,337 8,697 7,541 4,021
Future explorations and collections
In the national perspective, keeping the country's overall objectives in
view, crop improvement programmes
of various Agricultural Research
Institutes, Universities, etc., the National priorities among crops have been
defined.
The exploration missions take into account these priorities and
plan for the collection of germplasm, in cooperation with the crop specific
institutes in a particular target area. Table 7 lists the national priorities
among crops; no. 1 indicates high priorities and no. 3 low. Future explora­
tions, whether region specific
or crop specific, shall keep these crop priorities
in view, when collecting the genetic diversity. A co-ordinated eifort, both
by the Bureau and the crop research institutes, shall hasten the pace of
collection of native diversity from areas hitherto unexplored.
Table 8 gives the crop-wise list
of geographic areas/pockets rich in plant
genetic wealth which need to be covered in future collection programmes.
This is
to be superimposed on the regions and crop diversity areas given in
Table 2, for planning future collection missions. Apart from genetic diver-

58. 41
Sity In crops natIve to the Hmdustam region, crops for which diversIty has
been
bUIlt up lOadvertently or through planned mtroducnon and Improve­
ment,
I e., m crops of the Far East, European, Afncan and Amencan ongm,
are also given
Table 1 Nahonal prioritIes among crops
Crops
Cereals
Rice
Maize
Wheat
Barley
Oth~rs
(Buckwhea tl Amaranth)
AlIIlers
SorghUm
Pearl millet
FlDger
millet
Others
(lesser millets)
Gram legumes
Pigeonpea
Vigna group
(green gram. black gram, cowpea)
Chickpea
Len II I
Others
(wmged bean, rIce bean, soybean,
moth bean)
Ol/seeds
Coconut
BrasBlea spp
Sesame
Samower
Groundau!
FIbre crops
Cotton
Jute
Others
(Kenar, Mesla)
Vegetables
Okra, egg plant/non­
tubenferous Solanums,
beans, cucurblts
I
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
PriOrItIes
2 3
+
+ ,
~---- +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
•

59. 42
Table 7 (Contd.)
Priorities
Crops
2 3
Tuber crops
Yams & aroids +
Pachyrrhizus +
Sweet potato +
Fruits
Banana
Citrus
Mango
Jack fruit.
Papaya, guava, litchi and
Others
(Syzygium, Phyllantnus,
hiorus,
~izyphus)
Sugar-yielding plants
Sugarcane
Beverages
Tea
Coffee
Spices, masticatories
Pepper
Ginger
Turmeric
Arecanut
hi edicinaij Aromatic
Dioscorea, Rauvoijia,
Cymbopogon
spp ;
Senna, Opium poppy,
Vinca
Priorities 1 high; 2 medium; 3 low
+
+
+
+
+
GENETIC RESOURCES CONSERVATION
In-situ conservation
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
The General Conference of UNESCO launched a broad based ecological
programme on
"Man and the Biosphere" (MAB), to (i) conserve for
present
and future use, the diversity and integrity of biotic communities of
plants and animals within natural ecosystems, and to safe-guard the genetic
diversity
of species on which their continuing evolution depends; (ii)
provide areas for ecological and environmental research including, parti­
cularly, baseline studies, both within
and adjacent to these reserves, and (iii)
to provide facilities for education and training.

60. Table 8. Proposed areas for exploration and collection of crop
plants and their
wild relatives
43
Cereals and pseudo-cereals :
Rice
Maize
Wheat
Barley
North-eastern region in Arunachal Pradesh, Garo and
Khasi hills
of Meghalaya; Mizoram, Manipur and Naga­
land;
north Bengal and Sikkim; and the mountain tracts
of upper Assam including Mikir hills and Cachar (More
attention required in these areas).
Tribal dominated tracts
of eastern and central India,
including Jeypore tract
of Orissa, Koraput, Keonjhar;
Kalahandi, Santal Parganas
and Chotanagpur hills of
Bihar; Bastar, Rewa, Bilaspur, Sarguja, Raigarh, Raipur
and adjoining tract in M. P; and hill agency areas of
east Godavari and adjoining region in Andhra Pradesh.
Chikmagalur, Shimoga and adjoining tracts in Karnataka
extending to mountains
of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in
the Western Ghats.
West Himalayan region including
H. P .• J & K., and
U. P. hills in
Uttarkhand and Kumaon Himalayas.
North-eastern region: collections needed from Cachar
and Mikir hills; Arunachal Pradesh
and north Bengal.
Tribal areas
of peninsular region in A. P., Orissa, Bihar
and
north M. P.
Mountainous belt of Nilgiris, Pulney and hills of
Karnataka adjoining Chikmagalur.
Western Himalayas, Chamba
and adjoining areas in
H. P., Kumaon and
Uttarkhand in U. P. hills.
Particularly
in northern India, in hilly tracts in Western
Himalayas; H. P. in Kinnaur, Lahaul
and Spiti, Pangi
valley, extending to Ladakh in Kashmir; also Baramula,
Usmaro, Gurez valley in J.
& K.
Eastern region in north Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal
Pradesh.
Peninsular north· western, central plains; drier tracts
of
Maharashtra, Karnataka and A. P.
Peninsular tract, Western
and northern M. P.. and
western India in Rajasthan, eastern Maharashtra and
parts
of Karnataka.
I
In Western and Eastern Himalayas in areas indicated
above for wheat (naked
and hooded types), in north
Bihar and other areas
of peninsular India and wheat
belt (husked types).
(Contd).

61. 44

Secale
Buckwheat
Amaranth
Millet
Sorghum
Pearl millet
Lesser millets
Foxtail millet
Setaria italica
Finger millet
Eleusine
coracana
Kodo millet
Paspalum
scrobiculatum
Sa wan
Echinochloa
colonum
Cheena or
Proso-millet
Panicllm
mifiaceum
In dry cold areas of Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti, Pangi
valley
and Kinnaur in particular, sporadic distribution
occurs in higher elevation, above 2100 m.
Hilly tract
of north-eastern region, particularly in
Arunachal Pradesh and Slkkim.
In the Western Himalayas in Pangi valley, Lahaul and
Spiti, Kinnaur, adjoining region in H. P; U. P. hills in
Garhwal and Kumaon, and loshimath, in Malari and
in Kashmir valley including Ladakh.
North-eastern region in north Bengal, Sikkim and in
particular Arunachal Pradesh.
Western Himalayas in H. P., U. P. hills and in Kashmir.
North-western and central plains, eastern Maharashtra.
Tribal tracts
of M. P. in Bastar, and adjoining region
in A. P. Cuddapah, east Godavari, Srikakulum and
Vishakapatnam and Khammam; Santal Parganas and
Chotanagpur in Bihar, Chandrapur and adjoining tract
in Maharashtra; and Gunjam, Kalahandi and adjoining
hilly tract
in Orissa.
Western part
of Tamil Nadu in Coimbatore and Salem
and also hills
of Karnataka.
The foot hill region
of the Himalaya.
:t-.orth eastern hills, bordering Burma.
Particularly tribal belt
of Gujarat and Western Rajas­
than, also in adjacent
M. P., and Karnataka.
Western and north-eastern region including the Hima­
layan tract and sub-tropical Assam, hilly region and
adjoining areas in particular.
Tribal belt of peninsular India, particularly in M. P.,
A. P., Orissa and adjoining Bihar.
In Western Ghats, eastern Maharashtra and southwards,
more in drier tract.
Tribal belt
of peninsular India, particularly in north of
M. P. and Tamil Nadu, A. P. and Orissa; and also lower
hills in central and eastern Himalayas.
Central peninsular belt in M. P., Bihar and Orissa
in
particular.
The above areas (for
Kodo) and the hills of north-west
and eastern region.
Hills
of H. P., U. P., particularly higher elevation, also
W. India in parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra and in
Bengal, extending to Arunachal Pradesh.

62. Panicum
miliare
Coix
C.lacryma­
jobi, soft­
shelled forms
Digitaria
cruciata
var.
esclllenta
Grain and other legumes
Green gram
Vigna
radiata
Black gram
Vigna mungo
Rice bean
Vigna
umhellata
Moth beall
Vigna
aconitifolia
45
Tribal belt of A. P., Orissa, Bihar, M. P. and Maha­
rashtra, particularly in Orissa, Kalahandi, Keonjhar
and Phulbani; adjacent parts of M. P. and Bihar; and in
W. Bengal.
North-eastern hills in Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram
and Nagaland; particularly in
Garo and Khasi hills of
Meghalaya.
Khasi hills
of Meghalaya (endemic cultigen).
Tribal agency areas
of east Godavari and adjoining
tract in A. p .. also in Warangal and Khammam; and
Orissa, Phulbani, Kalahandi and other tribal tracts
extending M. P. southwards, east/westwards.
In northern plains of U. P., in Pilibhit and adjoining
tract;
and in north Bihar, Bengal and Assam Plains.
Northern India, in comparatively drier areas of Bissar
(Haryana) and Ferozepur (Punjab).
Western India, tribal tracts in DhuIia, Parbhani,
Auranbabad in Maharashtra; Panchmahal and
Kaira
tract in Gujarat; also Dharwar and neighbouring tract
in
Karnataka.
Hill tracts of H. P., Kangra valley and other areas;
U. P. hills in Nainital, Rampur and adjoining tracts; in
north Bengal and upper Assam
Tribal belt
of peninsular India as indicated above for
green gram; agency areas
of east Godavari and adjoin­
ing tract;
Guntur and Krishna in A. P; Raipur, Drug
and Bilaspur in M. P.; and Santal Parganas, Ranchi,
Bhagalpur, Singhbhum and
Purnea.
In western India, Kutch, Surat and Panchmahal in
.
Gujarat; and Eastern Maharashtra mainly.
In northern plains, in U. P. particularly Sitapur, Bara­
banki, Hardoi
and Bareilly; Ambala in Haryana, and
Ferozepur in Punjab.
North-eastern region including Assam plains; adjoining
hill regions; north Bengal
and Sikkim; and particularly
Garo and Khasi hills of Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizo-
ram tracts. I
Tribal belts of Orissa and Bihar; and the agency areas
of east Godavari in A. P., particularly Kalahandi and
Phulbani in Orissa and Santal Parganas in Bihar.
Kutch, Kaira and other area in Gujarat; west Rajasthan;
and eastern Maharashtra (mainly North-west drier
plains).

63. 46
,
Pilipasara
(Vigna trilobata)
Red gram
(Ca/anus
co jail)
Bengal gram
(Cicer
arietinum)
Lentil
(Lens cujillaris)
Cowpea
(Vigna
unguiculata)
Tribal agency areas of A. P., east Godavari; Krishna and
adjoining tract of Tamil Nadu.
Tribal belt
of peninsular India, particularly in Kalahandi,
Phulbani, Keonjher and other tracts
of Orissa; and
adjoining U. P., and Bihar (largely central peninsular
tract and eastern adjoining reaion).
Hill region
of north-east in Mizoram and other areas.
Bundelkhand area
in U. P., Banda, Jhansij Raipur,
Chattarpur, and Bilaspur in M. P., and other areas
of
eastern U. P.
West Himalayan region
of H. P., and U. P. hills in
particular; and parts
of M. P., central peninsular tract.
Eastern Himalayas in north Bengal and adjoining areas
-sporadic_
Hill regions of north and eastern India, including north­
eastern hilly
tnbal tract.
Tribal tracts
of A. P., Orissa, Bihar and M. P.
Partly in Western Ghats, and Maharashtra southward
and particularly Karnataka hills, Chikmagalur
and other
areas.
India became a member of MAB programme in 1970 and, in 1972,
constituted a 13 member Indian National MAB Committee for scientifically
evaluating suitable areas and identifying Biosphere Reserves and for planning,
financing and implementing MAB field projects.
In order to recommend
suitable areas for selection as Biosphere Reserves and to propose legislative
and administrative measures, a Core Advisory Committee was appointed
by the Indian National MAB Committee in June,
1978. This Committee
laid down the criteria for the selection
of such reserves and tentatively
identified the following
12 potential areas;
l. Mysore Plateau-Wynad-Nilgiri (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu)
2. Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu)
3. SimpJipal and Jeypore HilI Forests (Orissa)
4. North Islands of Andamans and Jarawa Tribal Reserves (Andaman
Nicobar Islands)
5. Sunder bans (West Bengal)
6. Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh)
7. Valley of Flowers and Kedarnath (Uttar Pradesh)
8. The Nanda Devi Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh)

64. 9. Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim)
10. Lalichopri (Arunachal Pradesh)
II. Namdapha (Arunachal Pradesh)
12. Tura Ridge (Meghalaya).
47
Based on careful considerations, it was decided to initially select three
biologically rich areas, viz.,
(i) the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, (ii) the
Namdapha Biosphere Reserve, and (iii) the Tura Ridge (as gene sanctuary
for
Citrus and other fruit plants). The project documents for these reserves
have been prepared
and approved by the MAB Committee. The prepara­
tion
of documents for four other proposed Biosphere Reserves is under way,
these being (i) Valley
of flowers Kedarnath-Pindari; (ii) Gulf of Mannar,
(iii) the Nanda Devi
Sanctuary; and (iv) the North Islands of Andamans
and Jarawa Tribal Reserve.
A draft legislation, with
the collaboration of International Union for
Conservation
of Nature's Commission for Environmental Policy, Law and
Administration, is under preparation by the Department of Environment of
the Government of India and is expected to be ready soon.
As compared to Biosphere Reserves, gene sancruaries are'specific pockets
of genetic diversity of crop plants and their closely related wild species,
which can be conserved
in situ. One such gene sanctuary is being demar­
cated in the
Garo Hills (Tura ridge) of North-eastern region for Citrus
indica (Bbag Singh, 1981). It is also envisaged to preserve here Musa,
M
angifera, Citrus and other economic plants, occurring naturally as wild/
cultivated populations or as semi-protected popUlations. The genetic
diversity
of economic plants and their wild relatives shall, thus, be pro­
tected and shall continue to undergo evolutionary changes in the normal
way and one could always go
to these areas to explore and collect the
natural genetic diversity for use in the future plant improvement programmes
aimed
at the development of plant types specifically needed in the future.
Ex-situ conservation
At present, NBPGR maintains well over 25,000 collections of various
agricultural types
at its beadquarters (at Delhi) and at its Regional Stations
situated in different agro-climatic regions
of the country (Table 9). Various
crop specific institutes/Stations
of the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, viz., for cotton, rice, plantation crops, tuber crops, tobacco, jute,
mango, potato, sugarcane; and other crop-based research institutes like the
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
and several of the co-ordi­
nated projects also maintain germ plasm
of different agri-horticultural types.
Table ]0 gives some
of the prominent institutes and the collections held by

65. 48
Table 9. Germplasm collections maintained by the National Bureau of Plant
Genetic Resources
Inadquarters
New Delhi
28°35'N and 70012'E
alt. 228 m
sub-humid/sub-tropical
Regional Stations
I
Jodhpur-26° 18'N and 73°B ;
alt.
224 m­
Semi-arid sub·
tropical
Akola-21°N and 77°20'E
alt. 350
m-sub·
humid·sub·tropical
Trichur-l0050'N and
76°20'E, alt.
50/100 m
Hot·humid
tropical
Simla-3l0N and 77°E
alt. 1900 m
cold temperate
Shillong-25°30'N and
91°50'E, alt. 1900 m
cold, humid
sub· tropical/
sub· temperate
Wheat-To aestivum & T. daTum (1221). barley
(196), Avena/oats (986), moth bean (1100), lentil
(292), mung bean (1475), urid bean (1()76), rice
bean (451), broad bean (144), cluster bean (3445),
Do[ichos/sem (1125), horsegram (380), fenugreek
(198), peas (1400), adzuki
bean (30), sword bean
(108), Mucuna (25), yam bean (40), bambara
groundnut (49), cowpea (1895), wild Vigna (78),
Brassicae/ B. compestris-toria, sarson (445), brown
(188), yellow sarson (404); B. juncea (1169),
taramira (100), others (18); sunflower (360),
Amaranth (824), Chillies (130), brinjal (84),
Solanum spp. (16),
okra (565), Abelmoschus spp.
(52), roselle (70), kenaf (119), lupins (18),
tomato
(950), bulbous types-onion (1508), garlic (559)
and others (181); medicinal types-opium poppy
(130), Cymbopogon (62), Vinca (20), Senna (25),
Rouvol/ia (100), Vetiver (32) celery (100),
and others
(5)-liquorice, Ocimum; Mentha; Winged bean (106).
Cluster
bean (1365), moth bean (884), cowpea
(195), sem (61), bambara groundnut (11), mung
bean (11), urid bean (4), others (49).
Soybean (2337). horse gram (506), French bean
(41)1
cluster bean (16), sem (509), cowpea (141), winged
bean (30), pigeon pea (537), groundnut (238),
yam bean (32), bambara groundnut (6), other
legumes (67) ; sesame (1467), niger (117), safflower
(892),
okra (22), Panicumf Setaria! Paspalum! Echino·
chloa millets (407), Onion (291), garlic (92),
amaranth (479), grasses (60), others (8).
Rice (582), Sorghum (51), Pearl millet (22), finger
millet (52), horse gram (465), pigeonpea (240),
cowpea (343), other beans (132), ground nut (357).
sesame (332), tuber crops (657),
okra (184), Cucumis
(29), other cucurbits and vegetable types (535),
'winged bean (125), turmeric
and other Curcuma
spp. (367), chillies (219), pepper (46), others (58).
Barley (81), maize (77), French bean (1669), broad
bean (109), Lima bean (69), rice bean
& adzuki
bean (63), lentil (336), urid bean (289), mung bean
(133), soy bean (117), horse gram (85), cowpea
(51), peas (93), minor millets (Paniclml)
and others,
(784), Pseudocereals
(amaranth & others-1352),
capsicums (337), vegetables, cucurbits etc. (80),
Brassicae (253), forage legumes
and grasses (374),
Opium poppy (270), nut, stone
and pome fruits
(459), others, including ornamentals (291).
Collection/maintenance started recently; total collec·
tions, maize, rice,
legumes-60.

66. 49
Table 10. Germplasm collections with various Agricultural Research Institutes
Institute Germplasm
maintained
1. Indian Agricultural
Research Institute,
New Delhi
2.
Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research,
Bangalore,
Karnataka
3. Sugarcane Breeding
Institute, Coimbatore,
Tamilnadu
4. Indian Institute of
Sugarcane Research,
Lucknow,
U.P.
5. Indian Grassland &
Fodder Research
Institute,
Jhansi, U.P.
6. Central Rice Research
Institute, Cuttack,
Orissa
7. Central Tobacco Research
Institute, Rajamundry,
A.P.
8. Minor millet germplasm
unit (ICAR), Univ. Agric.
Sciences, Bangalore,
Karnataka
9. ICAR Hill complex for
N.E. Region, Shillong,
Meghalaya
10.
ICAR Research Complex,
Goa
Wheat (500), barley (1200), rice (2000). cotton
(400), Brassica juncea (1200). pigeonpea (1500).
chickpea (2000), green
gram (1000), peas (700),
lentil
(900).
Grape (400). mango (40), banana (25), guava (12),
papaya (16), pineapple (14), tomato (750), onion
(407), Capsicum (472), peas (536), Do/ichos (178),
cowpea (640), winged
bean (l18), French bean
(1700), okra (1520), radish (100), brinjal (680),
bittergourd (56), watermelon (1106), muskmelon
(916), Round-melon (30), roses (425), Bougain­
villea (90), tuberose (3).
Saccharum officinarum (773),
S. robustum, S. edule
and hybrids (59), S. barberi and S. sinense (73),
S. spontaneum (469), Erianthus, Narenga, Scleros­
tachya
(172), man made hybrids (2085).
Sugarcane (250), sugarbeet (70), sweet sorghum (30),
sweet maize
(3).
Cluster bean (370), moth bean (275), rice bean
(44), Medicago (260), Horse gram (50), Dolichos
(30), fenugreek
(300), cowpea (600), Trifolium spp.
(400), Plwseolus (46), lndigofera (28), Stylosanthes
(5), Desmodium (15), Melilotus (94), Vicia (12),
Brassica spp. (290), safflower (158), sorghum (400),
oats (250), pearl millet (1027), barley (60).
Rice (15000)
Tobacco (802), FCY (243), non Fey (524), air
cured White Burley (35).
Finger millet (2989), fox
tail/Italian millet (l581),
little millet (302),
common millet (569), Kodo
millet (676), Barnyard millet (732).
Rice
(282), finger millet (34).
Rice (40), vegetables (10).
(Contd.)

67. so
,
Institute
11. Jute Agricultural
Research Institute,
Barrackpore,
W. Bengal
12. V.P.K.A.S., Almora,
U.P.
13. Central Institute for
Cotton Research, Nagpur,
Maharashtra
Regional Station,
Coimbatore, Tamil NadlJ
Regional Station,
Ludhiana, Punjab
Regional Station,
Hissar, Haryana
Regional Station
Sirsa, Haryana
Regional Station,
Sriganganagar, Rajasthan
Regional Station, Akola,
Maharashtra
Regional Station, Rahur!,
Mabarashtra
Regional Station, Parbhani,
Maharashtra
Regional Station, Indore,
M.P.
Regional Station, Surat,
Gujarat
Regional Station,
Kovilpatti, A.P.
Regional Station, Guntuf,
AP.
Regional Station, Dharwar,
Karnataka
14. Central Tuber Crops
Research Institute,
Trivendrum, Kerala
Table 10. (Conrd)
Germplasm maintained
Jute-Corchorus capsu/aris (501), C. oli1orius (427),
wild Corchorus spp. (4).
·Wheat (1460), triticale (80), maize (350), barley
(700), lentil (423), peas (176), rice (1724), finger
millet (2758), barnyard millet (958), Italian millet
(570),
amaranth (117), black gram (91), green gram
(120), French bean (71), horse gram (93), soybean
(290), bengal gram (200).
Gossypium hirsutum (3500), G. barbadense (128 at
Coimbatore), G. arborellm (800), G. herbaceum
(250).
G. hirsutum (2156), G. barbadense (120), G. arboreum
(150).
G. hisutum (2525), G. arboreum (1380),
G. hirsuturn
(643), G. arboreum (427).
G. hirsutum (299), G. barbadense (7), G. arboreum
(63).
G. hirsutum (22).
G. hirsutum (479), G. arboreum (242).
G. Izirsutum (684).
G. arboreum (1200).
G. Izirsutum (89), G. barbadense (20).
G. hirsutum (256), G. barbadense (120), G. arboreum
(120), G. herbaceum (160).
G. hirsutum (478), G. arboreum (342).
G. hirsutum (207), G. barbadense (23), G. arboreum
(184).
G. hirsutum (259), G. barbadense (61), G. herbaceum
(57).
Cassava (1279), Sweet potato (528),
Dioscorea
(679),
C%casia (215), Xanthosoma (70), A/ocasia
(4), Amorphophallus (37).

68. Institute
15. National Research Centre
for Groundnut, Junagadh,
Gujarat
51
Table 10 (Contd.)
Germplasm maintained
Groundnut (6299), Arachis spp. (11).
16. Wheat Project Directorate Wheat (16000), additional 539 accessions (164
Indian Agricultural Research spring wheats
and 375 winter types), 6500 (detailed
Institute, New Delhi evaluation completed).
17. All India Coordinated
Millet Improvement
Project, Pune,
Maharashtra
18. Project Coordinator
Rape seed and Mustard,
Haryana Agril. Univ.
Hissar, Haryana.
19. Project Coordinator
(Saffiower), Solapur,
Maharashtra
20. Project Coordinator
(Sesame and Niger),
JNKVV, Jabalpur, M.P.
11. Project Coordinator
(Fruits)-Cell 2,
Central Mango Research
Station, Lucknow, U.P.
22. Project Coordinator
(Arid Zone Fruits)
Cell III, Haryana
Agricultural University,
Hissar, Haryana
Pearl millet (12431), finger millet (2681),
Kodo
millet (2272), foxtail millet (5058), little millet (535),
proso millet (1361),
baruyard millet (1371).
Mustard (5412), brown sarson (519), Yellow sarson
(321), tori a (857), taramira (197), other
Brassica
species (205).
Saffiower (2400).
Sesame-at Vriddhachalam (1107), Sumerpur
(1065), Jalgaon (302), Karirnnagar (116), Bangalore
(300), Jabalpur (203), Amreli(339),
Kanpur (225) ;
Niger at Igatpuri (400), Rastakuntubai (225),
Jabalpur (147), Semiliguda (124),
Kanke (166).
Mango-at Basli (196), Sabour (217), Rewa (65),
Sangareddy (380), and VengurJa (159).
Grape at Bangalore, (1000
and 20 species),
Coimbatore (229), Hyderabad (40 table types,
9 wine types, 5 root stocks), Poona (107, Vitis
species 21,
35 spp. of related wild relatives, 62
hybrid seedlings, 300 rooted cuttings treated with
mutagens), Ludbiana (308).
Guava-at Basti (52), Chaubattia-apple (250 and
50 clonal rootstocks), pear (50), peach (37), plum
(27), apricot (22), almond (6), walnut
(33);
Shalimar-almond (261), walnut (108).
Ber-at Hissar (79),
Date palm-Abohar (35).
(Contd).

69. 52
Institute
~3. Project Coordinator
Spices and Cashewnut,
Plantation Crop Research
Institute, Kasargod,
Kerala
Germplasm maintained
Cashew (791). Cardamom (54), Pepper (81) culti­
vated
and 471 wild types, ginger (213), turmeric
(567), coriander (1192), cumin
(! 10), fennel (48),
fenugreek (252), germ plasm
at the regional stations­
cashew (mannuthy 104; Babatla-179, Vengurla-
124, Vriddhachalam-177, Vittal-163, Bhubane­
shwar-47); cardamom (Mudigere-26 types and
8 related wild species, Pampadumpa(a-18 types
and 16 wild, related species); pepper (Panniyur-
494 cultivated and wild types, Calicut-252 culti­
vated
and wild types), ginger (Kasargod-25,
Pottangi-25, Solan-119); turmeric ~Solan-4CO);
Coriander (Coimbatore-285, Guntur-401, Jobner
-132, Pilwai-152) ; Cumin (Pilwai-22I, Jobner-
171) ; fenugreek (Guntur-29, Jobner-43, Coim­
batore 48,
Pilwai-54) ; fennel (Jobner-92).
them. Germplasm collections are also held by several State institutes/agri­
cultural universities located in different states of India.
These collections are periodically rejuvenated to keep their viability intact.
The future programme envisages the building up
of the national facility for
long term storage
(-18°C) at NBPGR, New Delhi, with a capacity of over
2,00,000 collections (each, one litre can space),
and provision of medium
term storage
(4°C) at several crop based institutes. Procurement of a port­
able module for long-
and medium-term seed storage is being processed by
the Bureau.
For the long term seed storage, this is going to be one of the
leading facilities in South Asian region, in national
and international
perspective.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
To bring uniformity in the recording of evaluation data, sets of descrip­
tors have been finalized for several crops and are being used particularly
for several major crops. As far as possible the descriptor lists, prepared by
the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources through its several
crop specific working groups, are used in the Indian programmes.
Data
handling is being carried out with the collaboration of Indian Institute of
Agricultural Research Statistics, New Delhi. Information storage and
retrieval system has been developed using guar evaluation data, as a model
(Dabas
et al., 1981). Catalogues on opium poppy, Trigone/la, pea, moth
bean, guar (Cluster bean), cowpea, and amaranth have been published
and
those on several other crops are under preparation. A workshop on
Documentation of genetic resources bas been organized in 1980, to discuss
the present status
of genetic rosources documentatiop. and to recommend

70. 53
future course of action for developing a sound documentation system
(Mehra and Sethi, 1980).
To promote plant genetic resources activities, the
NBPGR held a one­
month summer school;
23 trainees from several Indian institutions partici­
pated in the programme dealing with the collection, maintenance and con­
servation
of Plant Genetic Resources. The NBPGR also organized two
training courses on Plant Exploration and Collection Techniques during
1979 and 1980, each of one month duration, on behalf of the International
Board for Plant Genetic Resources, FAO, Rome, Italy (Mehra
et at., 1981).
In these courses, 23 trainees participated from India, Sri Lanka, Burma,
Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia. Another similar
course
was organized in 1982 to which 21 trainees from the Philippines,
Malaysia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Indonesia
and Cuba participated.
Plant resources are one
of the important natural assets of a nation.
Agriculture has been practised in India for over
5000 years, using both
indigenous and introduced economic plants. These genetic resources have
evolved through both natural and human selection pressures. With the
discovery
of the New World, several economic plants of the New World, were
introduced and became acclimatised in India. These exhibit rich diversity in
agro-ecological regions
of India. With a humble programme on the introduc­
tion
of exotic genetic resources and that on the exploration and collection of
indigenous economic plant wealth initiated in the forties, a centralized genetic
resources system, with the National Bureau
of Plant Genetic Resources, New
Delhi, assuming the coordinating role, has been gradually built up. The
Bureau has established (shall establish in the VI Plan) nine regional stations,
to undertake work
on all aspects (exploration and collection, evaluation and
documentation, and conservation) of genetic resources management. As
more facilities are build up, sophisticated techniques involving tissue culture
would be introduced and such meristem cultures maintained/preserved.
Problems connected with conservation
of seeds with low viability and recal­
citrant types would also demand emphasis.
A network
of genetic resources activities is being developed in colla­
boration with several Central and State Agricultural Research Insti,tutes,
Crop-coordinated Projects/Directorates, agricultural universities and lother
organizations engaged in agricultural research. The work
is also coordi­
nated with several national agencies viz., the Indian Council
of Agricultural
Research, Indian Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research, Department
of Environment and Department of Science and Technology. The work is
also associated with the world network on the conservation of genetic
resourCes through several international agencies, viz., IBPGR, MAB,

71. 54
UNESCO, IUCN, CGIAR, etc. It is hoped to build a strong national
an'tl. international system for the conservation and use of plant genetic
resources for the benefit
of mankind now and for ever.
REFERENCES
1. Anonymous. 1980. Handbook of agriculture. ICAR., New Delhi (revised Ed.).
2. Arora, R.
K. 1980. Crop collecting in Malawi and Zambia-I980. Plant
Genetic Resources Newsletter
44 : 26-32
3. Arora, R. K. and Chandel, K. P. S. 1972. Botanical source areas of wild
herbage legumes in India.
Trop. Grasslands 6 : 213-221.
4.
Arora, R. K., Chandel, K. P. S., Joshi, B. S. and Pant, K. C. 1980. Rice
bean-a tribal pulse of eastern India. Econ. Bot. 34 : 260-263.
5. Arora, R. K. and Koppar, M. N. 1981. Activities on exploration and collec­
tion (1960-1980)
at NBPGR, New Delhi, India (cyclostyled report).
6. Arora, R. K. and Mehra, K. L. 1978. Exploration in north-east India (cereals
and pulses).
Plant Genetic R,esources Newsletter, 34: 4-8.
7.
Arora, R. K. and Mehra, K. L. 1980. Genetic resources of wild and cultivat­
ed tuber
and root crops in India; their diversity and collection. SA BRA 0 12 ; 15·20.
8. Arora, R. K. and Mehra, K. L. 1981. Plant genetic resources of arid and
semi-arid lands of India. Ann. Arid Zone 20 : 145-154.
9.
Arora, R. K., Mehra, K. L. and Hardas, M. W. 1975. The Indian gene
centre; prospects for exploration
and collection of herbage grasses. Forage Res. 1 :
11-22.
10. Arora, R.
K. and Nayar, E. R. 1981. Distribution of wild relatives and
related rare species of economic plants in India. Seminar on threatened plants of India,
Dehra
Dun.
11. Bezbaruah, U. P. 1968. Genetic improvement in tea in north-east India, its
problems
and possibilities Indian J. Genet. 28A : 126-134.
12. Burkill,
L H. and Finlow, R. S. 1907. Races of Jute. Agri. Ledger 14 :
41-137.
13.
Dabas, B. S., Thomas, T. A. and Mehra, K. L. 1981. Catalogue on Cyamop­
sis tetragolloloba
(L.) Taub. (guar) germ plasm. NBPGR Pub)" New Delhi, India.
14.
Gupta, R. 1980. Medicinal and aromatic plants, in Handbook of Agriculture,
pp. 1188-1224, leAR, New Delhi, (revised Ed.).
15. GUpta,
V. P. and Minocha, J. L. 1980. Trends in genetical research on
Penlllsetums.
Punjab Agri. Univ. Ludhiana.
16. Hooker, J.
D. 1872-97. The Flora of British India (7 vols.), London.
17. Howard, A. and Howard, G. L. C. 1910. Wheat in India. Its production,
varieties and improvement.
Thacker Spinn. & Co., Calcutta.
18. Mehra,
K. L. 1981. Report on crop germplasm collecting mission to Zambia
in April-June, 1981. IBPGR, Rome, Italy.
19. Mehra,
K. L and Arora, R. K. 1978a. Plant genetic resources of the
Himalayan region.
National Seminar on Resources, Development and Ellvironmellt ill
the Himalayan region. New Delhi, NCEPCfDept. Science & Technology Pub). 121-132.

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20. Mehra, K. L. and Arora, R. K. 1978b. Plant genetic resources activities in
India. First IBPGR workshop on South Asian Plant Genetic Resources. Country
report.
AGPE/IBPGR/PR 3/11, 23-42.
21.
Mehra, K. L. and Arora, R. K. 1981. Plant genetic resources activities in
India. country report 1978-81. Second
IBPGR workshop on Plant Genetic Resources
of South Asian countries, Nepal.
22. Mehra, K. L. and Sethi, K. L. (Eds.) 1980. Proceedings of first Workshop
on documentation of plant genetic resources (25-27, Nov. 1980), NBPGR Sci. Monogr.,
I, New Delhi.
23. Mehra, K. L., Arora, R. K. and Wad hi, S. R. (Eds.) 1981. Plant Explora­
tion and Collection,
NBPGR, Sci. Monogr., 3 : New Delhi.
24. Murty,
B. R. 1963-67. Cataloguing and classifying genetic stocks of Sorghum
(PL 480 report), IARI, New Delhi.
25. Murty, B. R. 1977. Breeding procedures in pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides),
leAR, New Delhi.
26.
Murthy, S. R. and Pandey, S. 1978. Dileneation of agro·ecological regions of
India. 11th congress, International Society of Soil Science Edminton, Canada, 19-27th
June, 1978 (cyclostyled document).
27. Patil, B. D. and Singh, A. 1980. Genetic and cytogenetic improvement of
Pennisetum and its allied species for grassland and pasture production, in Trends in
Genetical research on Pennisetums,
pp. 111-122 (Eds. V. P. Gupta and J. L. Minocha),
Punjab Agric. Univ., Ludhiana.
28.
Ram, M. 1980. High yielding varieties of crops. Oxford .IBH Publ. Co.,
New Delhi.
29. Shaw, F. J.
F. and Khan, A. R. 1931. Studies in Indian pulses. Some
varieties
of Indian gram (Cicer arietinum L.). Mem. Dept. Agri. India Bot .. 19 : 27-47.
30. Shaw,
F. J. F., Khan. A. R. and Singh, H. 1933. Studies in Indian pulses.
The type of Cajanus indlcus Spr. Indian J. Agri. Sci. 3 : 1·36.
31. Singh, B. 1977. Races of maize in India, ICAR, New Delhi.
32. Singh,
B. 198]. Establishment oj first gene sanctuary in India for Citrus in
Garo hills.
Concept Pub). Co., New Delhi.
33. Singh, H. 1973.
Far East Asia, India, in Survey of crop genetic resources in
their centres
of diversity (First report, Ed. O. H. Frankel). FAOjIBP, Rome, Italy.
34. Singh,
R., Joshi, B. S., Chandel, K. P. S, Pant, K. C. and Saxena, R. K.
1974. Genetic diversity in some Asiatic Phaseolus species and its conservation, in
Breeding Researches in Asia
and Oceania (SABRAO Proc. Eds. Ramanujam, S. and
Iyer, R. D.). Indian J. Genet, 34A : 52-57.
35. Thuljaram
Rao, J. and Krishnamurthy, T. N. 1968. Accelerating genetic
improvement in sugarcane.
Indian J. Genet. 28A : 88·96. I
36. Watt, G. 1889-93. A dictionary of economic products of India, (6 Vols.).
London.
37. Zeven, A. C. and Zhukovsky, P. M. 1975. Dictionary of cultivated plants
and their centres
of diversify, Wageningen.

73. APPENDIX I
Some important varieties of cereals, millets and pulses*
CEREALS
Rice
(i)
High Yielding varieties: for general cultivation and suited to different
states.
(a) Bala, Cauvery-early,
upland rainfed types ; (b) Krishna, Ratna,
Padma, Jamuna and Sabarmati, Pusa 2-21 ; Kanchi (early, irrigated types)
(c) Sona, Jayanti, IR-20, Vijaya, Jaya, IR-8, Vani, Pankaj,
Jagannath (mid­
duration irrigated types) ; (d) Hamsa, TelIa-Hamsa, Mahsuri, Kakatiya,
Gautam, Vashista, CR-1014, Jayant (A.P.) (e) Archana, Deepa, Sita,
Panidhan 1 and Panidhan 2, CR-44-45, C 8585 and C 8481 (Bihar) (f)
GAU-R-I, GAU-R-IO, GAU-R-IOO (Gujarat) ; (g) Suma and Kusuma,
Madhur (MR-136), MR-118, Vikram (Karnataka) ; (h) Annapurna,
Triveni, Rohini, Aswani, Jyothi, Bharati, Sabari (Kerala) ; (i) Karjat-184,
Ratnagiri-24 (Maharashtra) :
(j) Anupama, Kranti, Pragati, Garima,
JR-15-55 and JR-16, Jagrati (M. P.) : (k) Hema, Rajeshwari, Kumar,
OR-IO-16, OR-34-16, Kalinga-l, Sakti (Orissa) ; (1) Hybrid mutant-95,
Palman-579, (m)
Karuna, Karikalan, Panni (Mahsuri), Bhavani, Co-36,
ASO-14, Co-30 ; Vagheri (Tamil
Nadu) ; (n) Saket-4, Sarju-49, Sarju-50,
IR-24 ; (0) High yielding varieties under trial
RP-I93-I, RP-5-32,
IET-1l36, NP-30-40-2, RPW 6-17, RPW 6-12, RPW 6-13, CR-93-4-2,
improved Sabarmati, lET 1966, RP 4-14, IET-2S08, Pusa-2-21, RP-79-23,
RP-79-13.
(ii)
Predominant traditional varieties:
(a) Andhra Pradesh: GEB-24, Bam-3, AKP-4, Pgt 1, Sathika, Sol-13,
Mtu-1 (Akullu), Mtu-lO, Mtu-9, Mtu-3, Mtu-7, Mellasanallu, M-16,
Sol-19,
TKM-6, Mtu-I5, Co-29, BCP-I, BCP-2, BCP-4, BCP-6,
HR-65,
HR-I9, CH-45, RDR-7, HR-12.
(b)
Assam: N-22 (Dhumai), S-22 (Prasad Bhog), CH-63, Boro I,
Boro II, Boro III, Boro IV, Bau (for flooded conditions).
(c)
Bihar: N-136, SB-16, NC-1626, Cross 116, BR-34, BR-8, NP 31
(Bokol), Cross-B 2, Gorra Bhura.
·Taken from Ram, 1980.

74. 57
Appendix I (ccntd.)
Cd) Gujarat : Pankhari-203, Kamod-118, Zinya-31, Kolamba-42,
SukhveI-29, Kada-174-12, EST-39, Nowagam-26, EK-70, Jairasal-
280-irrigated, and early Kalpi-70, Kada-176-12.
(e) Himachal Pradesh : Ramjowain, Phu! Pattas, Lal Nakanda,
Dundar, Desi Basmati.
(f) J & K: CH-988, CH-972, Budgi, Niver.
(g) Kerala: PTB-2, PTB-9, PTB-lO, PTB-22, PTB-23, PTB-26, PTB·31,
PTB-4, PTB-12, PTB-20, Co-25, Mo-I, Mo-2, Mo-3.
(h) Madhya Pradesh: N-22, Laloo, Safed-dhan-30, R-2, Nungi, Cross-
116. Cross-B 2, R 3, Sultigurmatia, Saffri-17, Pundhri, Luchai-16,
Cross-Bl, R-15, Chinoor, Laloo-14, R-lO, Cattri,
NP 130,
Kalimooch-64.
(i) Maharashtra; Ambemohar-151, Ambemohar-I02, D-622, Chiman-
501-39, Panwal-61, Bandas-79, Kolamba-49, Zinya-63, Kolamba-540,
Early Kolpi-70, Bhadas-1305, Zinya-14, Zinha-149, white Luchia
112, EB-71, HB 19, Padharisol.
U) Manipur : Chang1ei, Phongak, Dumai, Moringphou, Phourel,
Kakchangphou, Phouretmbi.
(k) Meghalaya: S-22, S-36.
(I) Karnataka: S-701, S-1092, S-749, J-192, CH-2, S-307, S-317,
S-705, Bangara, Theaga, S-191, Dodda Byra, Gidd Byra, KB-356,
MR-319, BKB, C-435, CH-45, PTB-lO, MGT-2, PTB-9, SM-19,
MTU-3, Mathalga, T 14-1, M 14-1, M-81, PTB
20, MGK-5,
MGK-7,
Co-29, Waner-I, D 6-2-2, A-200, A 67, M 161, SR 36B,
Y 4, GEB 24, HR 19, SR26-B.
(m) Nagaland: Yuraba, Touzmo, Lakokolak, White Nguva, Red
Naguvano.
(n)
Orissa: Ptb-10, Mtu-15, T-812, BAM-II, B-76, T-141, T-9, CR­
llO4, Adt-27, N 136,
T 442, SR 26B, T 141, CR 1014, T 90, T 1242,
D 13, D 14.
(0) Punjab & Haryana: Jhona 349, Jhona 351, Basmati 370, Basmati
217, Palman 246.
(p) RaJasthan: N-22, Sathi 34-86, Sutar, Pathria, Sangra, local
Basmati, Kamod, Kalajeera, Kalamba, Kali Kamod, Basmati
370,
NP 130.

75. 58
Appendix I (Contd.)
(q)
Tamil Nadu: Adt-27, Adt-3, Adt-20, TKM-6, Co-19, Co 25,
ASD-5, GEB 24, Adt-8, BCP-7, Co-31, BAM-3,
ASD-II, Co-32,
PTB 15.
(r) Tripura: Dharial, Katakatara, Dhumai, Kamanisali, Sonamukhi,
Latisali, Gheegaj, Nizersali, Thakurbhog. .
(s)
Uttar Pradesh: Naina, VL-8, Kaoshing-22, T 1-1, T-3, Hansraj,
Tilakchandan, N-22, Bagari, Sarya, T-lOO, T-9, T-23, N-12, N-I0B,
Ramjiwan, Lalmati.
(t)
West Bengal : Dular, NC 1626, Charnok, NC 918, Latisail,
Patnai-23, Raghusal,
NC 528, CB-I, CB-II, Dular, Dharisal, FR-43B,
Bad Kalamkati, Bharamanik, NC 6781, NC 1281, Nagra, Kalma,
SR 26B, Nora Bokra.
(u)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: T-144, AC 517.
(iii)
Water-logged adapted types : IET-2337, IET-2339, Kalinga-l,
Kalinga-2, CR-10-5071, Jhona-351, CR-1014, Panidhan-2, Panidhan-1,
Mahsuri, Pankaj, Jagannath.
(iv)
Resistant high yielding varieties: Gallmidge-RP 613, CR 93-4-2,
CR 93-MR-1550 (Sathika), Kakatiya, Surekha ; Leaf hopper-RP 4-14,
lET 2508, Vijaya, Jaya ; Plant hopper-RP 4-14, Black Jaya, IR-8, RP
31-49-2; Bacterial leaf bligbt-RP 4-14, Jaya, RP 31-49-2, RP 5-32;
Rice tungro virus-RP 4-14, Vijaya, IET 2508.
Maize:
Hybrids and composites: Ganga Hybrid-I, Ganga Hybrid 101, Deccan,
Ranjit, VL-54,
Ganga Safed-2, Hi-Starch, Ganga-3, Himalayan 123 (Him.
123), Ganga-4, Ganga-5 ;
Composites-Amber, Vijay, Sona, Kisan,
Vikram,
Jawahar ; Protina, Shakti, Rattan, Opaque-2.
Wheat:
(i) Adapted to high fertility conditions: Kalyansona, Safed Lerma,
Chhoti Lerma, Heera (HD 1941), Lal Babadur, PV 18, WG 357, WG 377,
UP 301, NI 747-19, UP 215, Malavika (HD 4502), Janak (HD 1982), Raj
911 (durum), Pratap (H 1981), Arjun (HD 2009); late SOlVn: Sonalika
(HD eM) 1553), Sharbati Sonora, Shera (HD 1925), MACS-9, Narbada-4
(durum), A 9-30-1 (durum), Meghdoot (durum), HI-7-483 (durum), Mukta
(HI 385), NI 5439, NP 824, NP 826, C 306, C 273, Hy. 65, C 281, K 65,
K 68,
NP 884, NP 852, A 206, NP 404, Bijaga Yellow, Malvi Ekdania

76. 59
Appendix I (eontd.)
(durum), D 134, Kharachia 65, RS 31-1, Durgapura 65 ; For higher eleva­
tion : Girija (HS 1097-17), Shailaja (Hs 1138-6-4) ;
(ii) Adapted to 101V fertility (a) Irrigated conditions: NP 818, NP 846,
C 306, Ridley, VL 401, K 68, K 65,
NP 809, NP 852, C 306, C 27, HD
1981, RS 31-1, Hy. 633, NP 839, Janak, NP 852, NP 884, NI 747-19, NP
5439, NI 5643, Hy. 65, NP 710, NP 718 and Triticum dicoccum NP 200,
NP 201 ;
(iii)
Rainfed types: C 306, Ridley, C 253, C 281, C 286, VL 401, VL
404,
NP 809, K 68, K 65, NP 852, NP 884, HD 1981, NP 880, NP 890,
Narbada-4,
NP 832, NI 5439, NI 5643, By. 65, Bijaga Yellow, NI 747-19,
also Girija
and Ka1yansona (rainfed types)., also durums ; N 59, N 146,
MACS 9,
NJ 5749, Malvi, Amrut, Ekdenia-69, A-624 & several others
listed in
(i) above.
Barley:
(i) For plains: Ratna, RS 6, Jyoti, RDB-l, DL 70, RD-31, RD 57,
Clipper, Vijaya, K 24,
Azad (K-125) ;
(ii)
For Hills: Kailash, Himani, Dolma, new strains for adaptive
trials-RD 31, DL 3, BG 25, BG 108 and RD 118, Azad (K 125), RD 57,
RSB2.
MILLETS
Sorghum
Recommended hybrids: CSH-l (MSCK-60A X LS-84), CSH-2 (MSCK-
60A x IS-3691), CSH-3 (2219A
X LS 3691), CSH-4 (l036A X Swarna),
CSH-5 (2077A
X CS-3541).
Varieties: CVS-l (Swarna), CVS-2 (Variety-302), CVS-3 (370), CVS-4
(CS 3541), CVS-5 (148/168), CVS-6 (Variety 704), CVS-7 (R-16).
Pearl millet
Recommended varieties: Hybrid Bajra 1, Hybrid Bajra-2 (23A X J 88),
Hybrid B'ajra
3, Hybrid Bajra-4 (23A x K 560), Hybrid Bajra 5 (23A X
K 559), PHB-lO (1975), PHB 14 (1975), BJ 104 (514A x 5104), BK-560-230
(S141A X K 560-230), BJ 104; BK 560-230, KM-1 (BJ 154), K 142 (BK
560-230), Tamil
Nadu vars. ; CJ 104 (5054A X J 104), J 1399 (126D2A X
J 1399)-Gujarat.

77. 60
Appendix I (Contd.)
,
PULSES
Pigeonpea : T-21, Prabhat, T-7, T-17, Ageti (S-5), Mukta (R 60), Sharda
(8-8),
RG 72, ST-l (C-II), Tur-l5-lS, No. 148, PT 301,
Khargore-2, Gwalior-3, Co-I, 3-A-l, B
.517.
Green gram: T-l, T-2, T-44, T-Sl, Sheela, Pusa Baisakhi, Jawapan-4S,
Gujarat-l, Gujarat-2, B-J, Kanke multipurpose, H. 70-16,
Kopargaon, Khargone ; Krishna-II, G
65, Co-I, P8-7.
Black
gram: T-9, T-27, T-6S, T-77, Pusa-l, PDM-7l-1, PDM-7l-2, Mash-
1-1, Mash-48, No.
55, Khargone-3, ADT-I, B-76, Sind­
Kheda 1-1.
Cowpea : T-2, C-20, C-152, Co-I,
SeI-2, CS-68, Pusa Phaguni:Pusa
Dophasli, T-5969.
Gram :
T-l, T-2, T-3, T-4, T-5, Radhey, C-235, G-130, Pb. 7, S-26,
G-24, C-104, BP
65, BR 71, ST-4, BR 78, RS 10, NP 28, L 144,
RS 11, B 75, B 98, B 108, JG 62-104, Gwalior-2, Ujjain-2I,
Chaifa, N-59.
Pea : T-63, T-56, T-6I,
B-22, BR-12.
Lentil : T-8, T-36, L 9-12, Bombay-I
8, B-77, Pusa-l, Pusa-4, Pusa-6.
Lathyms : Pusa-24.