Agrobiodiversity in Northeast India: A Review …
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1997), ‘farmers’ varieties’, ‘local varieties’ or ‘traditional varieties’ which have been
bred and selected by farmers. Farmers in such traditional agricultural areas maintain
their farming systems on the basis of their intimate local knowledge about the rice
varieties and their adaptation to specific soil quality and other environmental factors
and even retain indigenous soil classification systems (Folk Soil Taxonomy) in their
farming systems.
4 Agrobiodiversity Management in the Traditional Rice
Fields (Case Studies)
4.1 Chailta Village in Barak Valley of Cachar District,
North-East India
The study on the on-farm conservation of rice diversity and local knowledge of soils
in traditional rice farming practise of the tea garden labour communities in Chailta
village of Barak Valley, Assam was carried out by Das and Das (2004). The traditional
rice farming practise in the area (Lowland Rainfed) includes ploughing by bullock or
buffalo, transplantation and manual harvesting. In the study site rice is traditionally
grown in three well defined seasons, namely Sali (winter rice), Aus (autumn rice) and
Boro (summer rice). 40% out of the total 50 farmers were found to cultivate only Sali
rice. Of the 50 farmers 20% were found to cultivate in the three seasons-Sali, Aus and
Boro. A total of 32 varieties are cultivated in the three cropping seasons in the study
area (Fig. 1). Of these 25 (78%) are traditional cultivars and 7 are improved/HYV
varieties. The 32 varieties cover an area of approximately 339 bigha of which the
traditional cultivars cover more than 50%.
Among the traditional varieties Chhoeamara and Chhatoki (in Sali rice) are cultivated by maximum number of farmers (50 and 42%). Chhoeamara and Chhatoki are
the two traditional varieties showing the highest relative importance value because of
larger number of farmers cultivating these varieties (50% and 42% respectively) and
larger land area allotted to the varieties (14.45% and 13.27% respectively). Farmers
were found to mostly cultivate more than one variety majority of which are traditional
varieties. Farmers gave several reasons for such practise. Firstly varietal diversification help the farmers to adjust to the heterogeneous soil and other environmental
conditions, which has also been reported by other workers (Kshirsagar and Pandey
1996; Bellon 1996). Second it is used as a method of reducing the risk of yield loss
from exclusive reliance on a single cultivar. Finally, varietal diversification help satisfy a range of demands, for e.g. some varieties may give good fodder yield while
others may be much preferred as food. Among the traditional varieties Chhatoki
and Chhoeamara are highly preferred for their eating quality, high volume and red
kernel and the two varieties have been reported as the most stress tolerant in terms of
soil quality. Other important traditional varieties include Latoi, Mayamati, Badaal,
Ikorjali, Terabali and Khoibaruah which has red kernel and is more energy giving as
121
1997), ‘farmers’ varieties’, ‘local varieties’ or ‘traditional varieties’ which have been
bred and selected by farmers. Farmers in such traditional agricultural areas maintain
their farming systems on the basis of their intimate local knowledge about the rice
varieties and their adaptation to specific soil quality and other environmental factors
and even retain indigenous soil classification systems (Folk Soil Taxonomy) in their
farming systems.
4 Agrobiodiversity Management in the Traditional Rice
Fields (Case Studies)
4.1 Chailta Village in Barak Valley of Cachar District,
North-East India
The study on the on-farm conservation of rice diversity and local knowledge of soils
in traditional rice farming practise of the tea garden labour communities in Chailta
village of Barak Valley, Assam was carried out by Das and Das (2004). The traditional
rice farming practise in the area (Lowland Rainfed) includes ploughing by bullock or
buffalo, transplantation and manual harvesting. In the study site rice is traditionally
grown in three well defined seasons, namely Sali (winter rice), Aus (autumn rice) and
Boro (summer rice). 40% out of the total 50 farmers were found to cultivate only Sali
rice. Of the 50 farmers 20% were found to cultivate in the three seasons-Sali, Aus and
Boro. A total of 32 varieties are cultivated in the three cropping seasons in the study
area (Fig. 1). Of these 25 (78%) are traditional cultivars and 7 are improved/HYV
varieties. The 32 varieties cover an area of approximately 339 bigha of which the
traditional cultivars cover more than 50%.
Among the traditional varieties Chhoeamara and Chhatoki (in Sali rice) are cultivated by maximum number of farmers (50 and 42%). Chhoeamara and Chhatoki are
the two traditional varieties showing the highest relative importance value because of
larger number of farmers cultivating these varieties (50% and 42% respectively) and
larger land area allotted to the varieties (14.45% and 13.27% respectively). Farmers
were found to mostly cultivate more than one variety majority of which are traditional
varieties. Farmers gave several reasons for such practise. Firstly varietal diversification help the farmers to adjust to the heterogeneous soil and other environmental
conditions, which has also been reported by other workers (Kshirsagar and Pandey
1996; Bellon 1996). Second it is used as a method of reducing the risk of yield loss
from exclusive reliance on a single cultivar. Finally, varietal diversification help satisfy a range of demands, for e.g. some varieties may give good fodder yield while
others may be much preferred as food. Among the traditional varieties Chhatoki
and Chhoeamara are highly preferred for their eating quality, high volume and red
kernel and the two varieties have been reported as the most stress tolerant in terms of
soil quality. Other important traditional varieties include Latoi, Mayamati, Badaal,
Ikorjali, Terabali and Khoibaruah which has red kernel and is more energy giving as