1ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa Campus, New Delhi-110012Delhi, India
2ICAR-NBPGR, Regional Station, Shimla-171004Himachal Pradesh, India
3ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Wellington, Nilgiris-643231, Tamil Nadu, India
4Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, Punjab, India
*Author for Correspondence: Email- K.Pradheep@icar.gov.in
Online published on 22 February, 2021.
For the first time, systematic germplasm collection trip was conducted across south-eastern Ladakh during September 2018. A total of 76 accessions belonging to 21 species including 44 accessions of wild germplasm were collected from the altitude of 3,400-5,300 meters above mean sea level. Good variability in hull-less barley, and wheat wild relatives namely Elymus nutans Griseb. and Leymus secalinus (Georgi) Tzvelev was augmented from this tract for the first time. Germplasm of Chenopodium karoi (Murr) Aellen was collected for the first time in India. The commonly occurring Elymus nutans is replaced by E. schrenkianus (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Tzvelev in altitudes above 4,700 m while E. repens (L.) Gould was found upto 4,300 m, which was otherwise known only below 3,000 m. This communication briefly discusses on the germplasm collected/observed and future exploration scope from this remote area.
Cold-arid Himalaya, Crop wild relatives, Germplasm collection, Leh district, Purple barley
