Ethnic Rice Varieties of Bengal - Characterization and Conservation

Ethnic varieties of rice are the nature's gift to the human civilization. West Bengal state of India is a home land of thousands of folk rice varieties from time immemorial. Ancient marginal farmers of Bengal are conserving, cultivating, developing and preserving these varieties from the prehistoric times. Before green revolution, folk varieties were the only source of rice. After the introduction of modern hybrid varieties the number of folk varieties are drastically falling down from the agricultural fields. Folk varieties reside of numerous spectacular agronomic characters which are mostly absent in so called "high yielding varieties". Now time has come to cultivate and conserve these folk varieties again as hybrid varieties failed to perform their best, due to changing climatic condition. Folk rice varieties consist of important genetic component which may be used for the development of stress resistance (salt, drought, flood, cold, pest etc.), and future food security. The authors are grateful to West Bengal Biodiversity Board as they have taken the initiative to conserve and cultivate these folk rice varieties of Bengal and their help to do so.