Observations on Diversity in Temperate Fruits in North Eastern Region, India

This paper deals with temperate fruits germplasm collected from two states in the region i.e. Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh along with field notes. Standard methods pertaining to collection of genetic resources were followed. A total of 79 accessions involving 44 taxa were collected from both the states. Unlike western Himalaya, in both the states, commercial cultivation of temperate fruits has not been seen. Good variability in Pyrus pashia, Docynia indica, Actinidia callosa, Malus baccata and Rubus moluccanus are noticed. In Meghalaya, Myrica esculenta, Prunus nepaulensis, Baccaurea ramiflora, Vangueria spinosa, Elaeagnus latifolia, Docynia indica, etc. are noticed in transition process from wild to cultivated status while. Pyrus pashia and Cornus capitata in Arunachal Pradesh. More than one third of taxa collected are endemic to the region. Twenty one taxa not collected in previous explorations were collected including the wild form of Diospyros kaki in Khasi and Jaintia Hills and Chaenomeles cathayensis in Tawang. Exploration strategies to be followed in future in those areas are discussed.