Vol. 8, Issue 8, Part R (2024)

Folk nomenclature of landraces maintained on-farm by farming communities of central Western Ghats of India: A case study

Author(s):

GM Puneeth, M Shankar, DA Deepak, Ravi Gowthami, Subhash Chander, Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Dinesh Kumar Sharma, GS Mohana, Ramesh Vasudeva and Sunil Archak

Abstract:
Landraces are the most valuable genetic resources, with immense potential to combat the challenges being faced by farming communities in the 21st century. However, many landraces are under threat of loss; hence, there is an urgent need to document and conserve the incredible indigenous wealth of the country. Farmers' understanding of local landraces encompasses a wealth of information; exploring farmers' nomenclature practices serves as a valuable source to elucidate the genetic richness maintained on-farm. Thus, keeping this in view, the present study was undertaken to delineate the indigenous taxonomy of landraces conserved on-farm in the rainfed agro-ecosystem of central Western Ghats and adjoining areas. The present study reveals that the landrace names are associated with the place of origin and introduction, cropping season, growing condition, plant height, morphological appearance, colour, aroma, size, taste, famous personalities, specific use, social and historic aspects and cultural significance. These names also act as hidden markers for the identification of landraces. Documentation of traditional knowledge associated with named landraces serves as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and ecological diversity among the indigenous communities. In addition to this, the present communication also highlights the role of preserving and revitalizing traditional knowledge systems in the on-farm management of PGRs.

Pages: 1426-1434  |  388 Views  218 Downloads

How to cite this article:
GM Puneeth, M Shankar, DA Deepak, Ravi Gowthami, Subhash Chander, Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Dinesh Kumar Sharma, GS Mohana, Ramesh Vasudeva and Sunil Archak. Folk nomenclature of landraces maintained on-farm by farming communities of central Western Ghats of India: A case study. Int. J. Adv. Biochem. Res. 2024;8(8):1426-1434. DOI: 10.33545/26174693.2024.v8.i8r.2024