HYDERABAD: As a part of the National Exploration Programme of ICAR- National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), its regional office in Hyderabad, in collaboration with Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), conducted a multi-crop germplasm exploration programme in Warangal, Mahabubabad, Jayashankar-Bhupalpally and Mulugu districts of Telangana from December 13 to 20.
The team of six members — led by Dr N Sivaraj, principal scientist, and Dr L Saravanan, senior scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, Hyderabad — have collected over 150 germplasm samples belonging to 46 species of agri-horticultural crops.
Speaking to TNIE, Shivaraj said, “During the years 1993-1994, the National Exploration Programme of paddy was conducted in Adilabad district and samples of different types were collected but currently there are only 3-4 of those variations of rice are being cultivated in the area.”
“Thus most of the traditional crops are becoming extinct and this multi-crop exploration programme will help protect and conserve their gene material. As the collected crop samples will be processed for long-term storage in the National Gene Bank located in New Delhi, it facilitates retrieving these crops whenever necessary,” he added.
Speaking on the wild crop relatives, he added, “As they grow in wild conditions, these species may contain useful genes for abiotic and biotic stress tolerance which can be incorporated into the cultivated species and are useful in crop improvement programmes.”