Exploration for collecting multi-crops [cereals, millets, vegetables, other minor crops and CWR] germplasm from Kishanganj and Araria districts of Bihar

Based on the gap in the national gene bank collection, an exploration was planned for the collection of multi-crops [cereals, millets, vegetables, other minor crops and CWR] germplasm from Kishanganj and Araria districts of Bihar from 09.12.2020 to 18.12.2020. The team comprising of Mr. Pavan Kumar Malav and Ms. S. Nivedhitha, Scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, and Dr. Md. Shamim, Assistant Professor-cum-Junior Scientist, Dr. Kalam Agricultural College, Kishanganj, Bihar undertook the ten days long exploration and explored the interior and diverse areas of the targeted districts in north-eastern part Bihar state bordering to Nepal and West Bengal. During this, a total of 75 accessions representing significant diversity in rice landraces, Jute, Pulses, Finger millet, Luffa sp., Coriander, Brassica sp., Lagenaria siceraria, leafy vegetable and tubers/rhizome of yam, taro and turmeric. The collected CWR species includes Cucumis medraspatanus, Ocimum americanum, Crotolaria pallida, Solanum sisymbriifolium, Trichosanthes bracteata and Tamilnadia ulginosa from the explored areas. Also herbarium specimens of Cucumis medraspatanus, Dioscoria alata, Momordica charantia var. murigata, Coccinia grandis, Solanum sisymbriifolium, Solanum torvum, Solanum nigrum, Malwa verticillata, Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus viridis, Diplazium esculentum, Crotolaria pallida, Chorchorus trilocularis, Pachyrhizus erosus and Solanum violaceum. etc. Field notes and ethno-botanical information of local leafy vegetables were also documented.

(Source:  Dr. Pavan Kumar Malav, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi)