P. Arun Kumar, G.D. Harish, M.N. Sheela and A.K. Misra
Abstract
An exploration was conducted in Southern districts of Assam comprising of Karbiyanglong, Dima Hansao, Hailakandi and Karimgunj regions. With diverse agro climate coupled with varied soil and rainfall pattern, these regions are best suited for cultivating tuber crops and play significant role in food security of tribals inhabited. In hilly areas, tuber crops were grown mainly in jhums and in homestead farming, while in plains they are grown in small pockets under mixed cropping. Of the four districts explored, diversity in yam and taro were maximum in Karbianglong and Dima Hasao offering good scope for taxonomic studies. Farmers Interviewed during exploration reported a declining trend in the production and the number of local varieties maintained in individual farms since the past decade. The factors include displacement by other crops, little research attention, drought, short shelf life, shortage and non availability of planting material, limited knowledge among youth and susceptablity to new pests and diseases. In the present mission, a total of eighty nine (89) tuber crop species comprising of thirty five (35) yam, twenty eight (28) taro, eight (8) sweet potato, six (6) xanthosoma, five (5) tapioca, four (4) arrow root, two (2) elephant yam and one species of Stemona were collected. The study revealed that there is ample scope for multi-crop explorations combining crop wild relatives and landraces diversity.