Conservation practices and assessment of spatial and temporal variability in rice landraces of Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food for more than half of the population in the world. In India, it provides food security and nutrition to more than two-third population and contributes 20-25% in Indian Agriculture. The state of Chhattisgarh is endowed with rich genetic diversity in cultivated and wild relatives of rice. Rice farming is practiced in several agro-ecologies ranging from rainfed upland rice ecosystem, rainfed lowland rice ecosystem, irrigated rice ecosystem and flood-prone rice ecosystem. Extensive field surveys and personal interviews were conducted in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, India in the months of September to November during 2017 - 2019 and the rice samples were collected. During the field survey, a total of 193 varieties varying in seed characteristics viz. red, dark red, light red and white kernel types were collected. The grain size of the varieties ranges from slender to bold types and the grain length varied from long (8.1 to 11.0 mm), medium (5.0 to 8.0 mm) to small (2.5 to 4.0 mm). Red rice is much liked by the tribal people in the region due to its color and flavor with slow digestibility as it keeps them energetic for a longer time in the field. Out of the total varieties collected from the region, 41 varieties were recorded as red kernel type, 36 in brown rice category and five in light brown types. Regression line found in 2.67 by 2.25 (R2= 0.211) in seed and kernel color comparison.