6,000-year-old
species of Rice discovered in Meghalaya
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/6-000yearold-species-of-rice-discovered-in-meghalaya/409467/0
Shillong, Jan 11: Meghalaya Mission for Indigenous Knowledge has
found a 6000-year-old traditional species of rice in the Garo
hills of the state.
This biological diversity is now an important genetic store for
rice worldwide. Mira Nair's film - Still, the Children are Here
- told exclusively through the voices of the Garos, follows two
extended families in the village Sandolpara, as they grapple with
survival and change in this native community. Elders say they
are poorer today. "Even though we reap the same grain as
the grandmothers, we are poorer," they say.
In Sandolpara, 6,000-year-old species of rice are still grown.
Women are the caretakers of these varieties of rice. They select
the right varieties for cultivation and handle processing and
storage of rice. Men help in cultivation and manage the fields.
"These hardy strains of rice must be protected and should
not be contaminated by any hybrids or genetically modified (GM)
crops," the document paper of the Meghalaya Mission for Indigenous
Knowledge noted.
The draft document also pleaded that the government should provide
subsidies to farmers for growing these traditional varieties,
so that the traditional rice varieties are available to consumers
at cheaper rates and can compete with already-subsidised rice
from other parts of the country.
The vice chancellor of the Shillong-based North-Eastern Hill University
(NEHU), Pramod Tandon said, "Our major objective is to conserve
and conduct research in traditional knowledge and to improve the
socio-economic conditions of the people." He said that the
important gene centre located in the campus had not been given
due consideration by the Union government, which funds this university.
The gene bank contains rich depositories of traditional rice and
citrus among other rare plants.
He mentioned water lily as a rare species now found only in Meghalaya.
Earlier, some species of water lily were found in Siberia, Russia,
though the climatic conditions in Meghalaya and Siberia vary to
a large extent. "We have taken up the difficult job of micro-propagation
of the water lily in a farmer's pond in Smit village," he
said. The seeds of the water lily are eaten by the local people.
Among other rare plants are Dancing Girl, Holly Tree and Mishmi
Getta. Dancing Girl varieties are under the women's empowerment
scheme of the department of biotechnology (DBT). "Unplanned
urbanisation, mining and quarrying have destroyed the biodiversity
and ecology of the region, alleged Tandon. He disclosed that the
Mishmi Getta was illegally exported to China for its medicinal
value and how the Italians once indulged in biopiracy of the Texas
Bacata, the extracts of which are used to cure breast cancer.
The Khasiana variety of the Picher plant is grown in nitrogen
deficient land in the state. Out of 13,000 orchid varieties, 560
alone are found in north-eastern India.
The Guwahati-based North Eastern Development Finance Corporation
Ltd has documented the methods of propagation and the use of several
aromatic and medicinal plants like Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin
Benth), Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt), Lemongrass
(Cymbopogon flexuosus Steud Wats), Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides
Linn), Sugandhmantri (Homalo,ena aromatica Schott), Agar (Aquilaria
agallocha Roxb), Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentine Benth ex Kur),
Pipali (Piper longum Linn), Amlakhi (Emblica officinalis Gaertn),
Hilikha (Terminalia chebula Retz), Bhomora (terminalia belerica),
Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna Wight and Arn). Among other crops of
economic importance are Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni-Nemsi, Vanilla
planifolia Andrews and Brahmi or Bacopa monnieri (L) Wetts.
|
|