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NBPGR Regional Station Srinagar was established in 1988 to carry out systematic exploration and germplasm collection in North-Western Sub-Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir and high altitude Cold Arid Ladakh. The area is inhabited by several communities some dwelling in remote and inaccessible areas. Phytogeographical and socio-cultural diversity has led to the evolution of diverse traditional farming systems housing a large number of traditional varieties of agri-horticultural crops, wild and weedy relatives. The station has a 10 acre experimental farm for characterization, evaluation and maintenance of germplasm and is located at Karewa Damodhar 14 kms from Srinagar city in the vicinity of ICAR-CITH and KD Farm (SKUAST-K).
Objectives
- Systematic exploration and collection of local plant genetic resources including crop wild relatives of agri-horticultural crops.
- Characterization, evaluation, documentation and conservation of local crop genetic resources.
- Multiplication, regeneration and supply of germplasm to researchers in the country.
- Creating public awareness about local plant genetic resources and promoting their use.
Mandated crops
- Wheat, barley, mustard, apple, walnut, almond
- Other crops: Rice, maize, pulses, vegetables, fruits, spices and ornamentals
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- Exploration and Germplasm Collection: Seven exploration and germplasm collection programmes were undertaken from different areas of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh including far-flung, remote and unexplored places in collaboration with SKUAST K), NRC Seed Spices Ajmer, ICAR-IGFRI RS Srinagar, ICAR-NBPGR RS Shimla and HQ. 356 multicrop germplasm accessions including CWR comprising of cereals, pseudocereals, millets, pulses, spices, oil seeds, vegetables, fruits, forages etc. were collected. Of these 346 accessions have been conserved in NGB under LTS. The station collaborated in exploration and germplasm collection programme of wild Triticeae conducted by ICAR-NBPGR New Delhi in which 96 accessions were collected from the areas including Zojila Pass, Drass, Batalik, Khaltse, Beema, Kargil, Shankar, Namkila, Fotula, Lamsoo Santo, Sankoo, Rangdum, Padum and Zangla of Kargil Ladakh. Elymus nutans (22), E. cognatus (15), E. dahuricus (15), E. secalinus (12), E. longearistatus subsp. canaliculatus (11), E. repens (4), E. semicostatus (2), E. schrenkianus (1), Hordeum brevisubulatus (2), H. bogdanii (1), Hystrix duthiei (1) and Cicer microphyllum (5) were collected from the region. Of these, Elymus semicostatus, E. cognatuts, E. repens, E. schrenkianus, Hystrix duthiei and Hordeum bogdanii were collected for the first time. Elymus repens, Elymus schrenkianus and Hystrix duthiei were not reported earlier from the sub region. Fagopyrum tataricum subsp. potanini was also collected and reported for the first time from Gurez area. Besides, 14 diverse germplasm accessions of Aegilops tauschii ssp. tauschii commonly called as Tausch’s goatgrass or rough-spike hard grass and currently considered the most important CWR gene resource for wheat improvement were collected from different areas of Kashmir. 28 diverse accessions of faba beans (Vicia faba) showing variability in seed size, shape and color were also collected. More than 100 herbarium specimens including first time reported Rubus species from India (Rubus praecox) were also collected and submitted to NHCP, ICAR-NBPGR.
- Germplasm Characterization and Evaluation: More than 1000 accessions comprising of wheat, barley, linseed, common beans, pea, Allium sativum and Aegilops tauschii were characterized and evaluated during the period under report for their agro-morphological characters under rainfed conditions of Himalayas using minimal descriptors and promising genotypes based on different traits were identified in each of these crops. Biochemical evaluation of some landraces of maize and soybean was also carried out which revealed appreciable protein and fatty acid contents in some of these genotypes.
A set of 48 common bean genotypes collected from different parts of Jammu & Kashmir were evaluated especially for resistance to bean common mosaic virus (BCMV). Based on the symptoms of curling, puckering and yellowing, genotypes named as Kulgam, L-7, SD-7 and L-4 were categorized as resistant ones. Interestingly, “Kulgam” collection was one among the heavy pod bearing genotypes and was almost free from most of the common bacterial/fungal diseases of beans. A bush-type early flowering accession collected from Lolab Kashmir was found to be early flowering. Genomic DNA isolation has been carried out in 30 of these common bean accessions and will be used for the genotyping using SSR markers linked to BCMV resistance.
With a view to introduce the cold tolerance in popular pea cultivars, crossing was attempted between Rachna and local small seeded pea germplasm collected from cold regions of Ladakh like Suru valley and Padum Zanaskar. The F3 population is presently being evaluated under field conditions.
Prunus dulcis cultivar Primorskij flowering locus C (FLC) gene sequence was submitted and published at NCBI site with Accession number MK697676.
- Supply of Germplasm: Germplasm collected has been supplied to NBPGR HQ for MTS, LTS and Cryopreservation and also to different indenters for research purpose. More than 300 germplasm accessions including that of Bunium persicum, Carum carvi, Allium sativum, wheat, barley, pea, Trigonella foenum-graecum were supplied to different organizations such as Dryland Agricultural Research & Extension Station (DARS), SKUAST (K) Budgam Kashmir; Department of vegetable Science, College of Horticulture Halladkari Farm Bidar Karnataka; Food Chemistry Division, National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Jamia Osmania Hyderabad; Highland Agricultural Research & Extension Station, SKUAST (K), Zanaskar Ladakh and Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC), SKUAST (K) Khudwani Anantnag Kashmir for research purpose. 17 quintals of Oat seed produced at the Farm of the station under collaborative seed production programme were supplied to SKUAST (K) for distribution among the farmers.
- PGR Awareness Programmes: The station has organized four PGR Awareness Programme cum Biodiversity Fairs in tribal areas of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and during these programmes plants/seeds of local landraces of agri-horticultural plants were distributed among the farmers. More than 600 farmers including women have participated in these events. The scientists of the station and of local KVKs and Research Stations of SKUAST (K) interacted with the farmers during these camps sensitizing them about the value and importance of local plant genetic resources and need for their protection. During recent two such programmes organized at Kargil (Ladakh) and Shopian (Kashmir), 320 plants of ‘ambri’ apple, 0.75 quintals of black soybean seed and 0.20 quintals of local forage grass seed including alfalfa (Lucerne) were distributed among 287 farmers including 150 women representing as much households to promote and popularize these traditional crops.
Variability collected and conserved in Aegilops tauschii, the most important CWR gene resource for wheat
Variability collected in faba bean, a potential crop
PGR Awareness Camp organized by the Station and distribution of planting material among the tribal farmers during the event
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- Exploration and germplasm collection of trait specific, unique and endemic crop diversity of the region.
- Exploration and germplasm collection of Crop Wild Relatives from the region.
- Identification and popularization of niche/potential climate resilient crops of the region.
- Promoting participatory on-farm conservation and in-situ conservation of plant genetic resources.
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Inhouse Projects
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Programme | Project Title | Leader and Associates | Project Code |
8.1
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Augmentation, Characterization, Evaluation, Maintenance, Regeneration, Conservation, Documentation and Distribution of Germplasm Resources of various crops from Jammu & Kashmir region
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Sheikh M Sultan, Susheel Kumar Raina
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PGR/PGC- BUR-SRI-01.00
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Dr. Sheikh M. Sultan, Officer-In-Charge
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ICAR-NBPGR RS, Srinagar
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Phone: 0194-2305359; (M)+91 9419504232
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Email: mohmmad.sheikh(AT)icar.gov.in
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Dr. Susheel Kumar Raina, Scientist
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ICAR-NBPGR RS, Srinagar
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Phone: +91 9423861483
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Email: susheel.raina(AT)icar.gov.in, Susheelkr76(AT)gmail.com
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