Rice germplasm collection in Tripura state

Tripura in the North-eastern region of India is avery rich resource of rice germplasm diversity. The land races adapted to upland (tillas) and lowland valleyareas responsive to low potash and phosphorus, and less prone to floods and various insect-pests diseases, are of immense value in country's rice improvement programmes. Keeping this in view, extensive collection programme was undertaken in all the areas of Tripura state to ascertain the present status Of rice landraces of Tripura; to find out gaps in germplasm collection and to indicate if any genetic erosion has occurred. Wide variation in the upland and wet land rice landraces in Tripura was found. However, due to modernisation of agriculture especially in the valley areas and adjoining hills (tillas), many of the landraces of rice have already disappeared. The rate of loss in the past 15–20 years period varied from 12.5 to 73.3 per cent. In the hills dominated by tribals, some indigenous types are still in cultivation. This may be due to poor transport and other communication links and the low interaction of the extension agencies. There is still ample scope for the collection of rice germplasm tolerant to moisture stress, responsiveness to low phosphorus and potash soils from certain parts. Such potential areas are Jampui hills, North Tripura bordering Mizoram and parts of Chittagong hill tracts in the South Tripura districts.