Exploration and collection of Maize, Chili, Brinjal and wild Solanum from Chhattisgarh

ICAR-NBPGR, Regional Station, Ranchi carried out an exploration aimed at collection of land races of maize, chilli, brinjal and wild species of the family Solanaceae from Jaspur, Korba and Koriya districts of Chhattisgarh from 21.09.2017 to 30.09.2017. The team comprising of Dr. S.K. Bishnoi, Scientist and Officer Incharge ICAR-NBPGR, Regional Station, Ranchi and Dr. Pavan Malav, Scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, Pusa Campus, New Delhi undertook the ten days long exploration and explored the interior and diverse areas of the targeted districts in Chhattisgarh state. During this, a total of 85 accessions representing significant diversity in maize, chili, brinjal and wild Solanum were collected. Two extra early maturing named landraces of rice (Chaina dhan and Dani dhan) were also collected. The collected 44 accessions of maize represent the diverse landraces having peculiar geographical and/or economic advantage to the local farmers. The collected wild solanaceous species include S.xanthocarpum, S.viaram, S.torvum and S. nigrum.