Author(s): S. K. BORDOLUI, R. SADHUKHAN1 AND P. CHATTOPADHYAY

Abstract: Farmers participated in their own way in selection, conservation and genetic improvement processes. It cannot be denied that any success in the persistence of these genotypes depends to a large extent on the personal motivation of the farmers who intimately know these genotypes. These are on many occasions termed as land races or folk varieties. Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) has made many gains over the past decades. The ideal model of participatory breeding should be flexible enough to harvest benefit from collaboration between breeders and participatory farmers. Twenty-five aromatic and twenty non-aromatic genotypes were evaluated with three high yielding varieties and two hybrid varieties to determine ways to conserve these indigenous genotypes ex-situ in active participation of such experienced farmers at Gontra village, Chakdah, Nadia, West Bengal. All the genotypes were evaluated during kharif season of 2008 and 2009 in Randamised Block Design in three replications following standard agronomic practices. Seed yield among the indigenous genotypes ranged from 152g m^-2 (Tulsimanjari) to 537 g m^-2 (Chamarmani). Other genotypes which recorded comparatively superior performance were Sitashal (526 g m^-2), Kedargouri (526 g m^-2), Tilakkati (515 g m^-2), Langalmuthi (513 g/m^-2), Dudkhas (508 g m^-2), Dadshalrn(498 g m^-2), Kalma (485 g m^-2), Kanakchur (470 g m^-2), Tulaipanji (471 g m ^-2), Chinikamini (463 g/m^-2), Chinigura (459 g m^-2), Chinapakri (485 g m^-2). The standard semi-dwarf check variety IET-4786 (Satabdi) and IET-4094 (Kshitish) recorded 602 and 608 g m^-2. However, most of these folk varieties had longer days to 50% flowering which ranged from 108 days in Mohanbhog to 131days in Kalma, Langalmuthi and Jugal whereas IET-4786 had 80 days to 50% flowering only. All these genotypes were very tall and plant height ranged from 121cm in Kalijira to 170cm Suonagra. Thousand grain weight ranged from 10.4g in Badshabhog to 28g Agulha and Tilakkati. Though, these folk varieties did not have significant edge in yield advantage and duration, several genotypes were preferred by the farmers for various purposes for multiplication.

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