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Traditional fodder storage systems used in India’s western hot arid zone as a drought-proofing mechanism
Get PDFThe aim of the study was to record the customary methods of storing fodder that farmers in India's hot and dry regions have used. In addition to using a questionnaire, key informant interview schedules, and secondary sources to gather data on fodder storage systems, the study employed a cross-sectional survey approach to obtain primary data from pastoral families. Karai and Pachawa are the traditional fodder storage systems being used in the hot arid zone to store fodder for use in drought years. These are low cost and durable fodder storage systems made with locally available materials using indigenous knowledge since time immemorial. Karai is made in the conical shape and especially used for storing small fodder cuttings. However, Pachawa is made in circular or square or rectangular and used for storing fodder as it is (uncut). These traditional systems are exceptionally good to store the dry fodder for a longer period (1-10 years) with minimal deterioration in fodder quality
Scientific validation of two indigenous plants used for traditional storage pest management in Manipur
Get PDFGoniothalamus sesquipedalis and Isodon ternifolius are two well-documented ethnobotanically important plants used in Manipur by different tribes. It is also often used together as a traditional fumigant by burning and smoking by hanging in traditional granaries to reduce the insect pest infestation. This study scientifically validates the use of these two plants in different proportions to manage storage pests. The suppressive effect of plant powders on population increase through the inhibition of off spring was assessed. The study and evaluation focused on defined combined ratios of 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, and 80:20 of Goniothalamus and Isodon. The lowest GI50 of 2.92 mg/g was observed in G. sesquipedalis treated rice grains and exhibited the best suppression of the population growth of rice weevil among all the treatments evaluated. The subsequent best treatment was I. ternifolius with a GI50 of 3.00 mg/g and very similar to G. sesquipedalis in growth inhibition capability. Among treatment combinations, Isodon and Goniothalamus combined in a ratio of 60:40 displayed good grain protection from rice weevil damage with a low GI50 of 5.42 mg/g. The highest GI50 of 13.60 mg/g was shown by the combination of Isodon and Goniothalamus in the ratio of 70:30. The statistical tests of treatment means were highly significant at 1% level of significance, as the p-values in all cases are less than 0.01 except for one (80:20) where it was non-significant. The viability of seeds treated with G. sesquipedalis and I. ternifolius were found to be both enhanced. However, the seeds treated with a combination of G. sesquipedalis and I. ternifolius failed to germinate ultimately.
Tidal rice farming in South Kalimantan: tradition, advantages, and challenges
Get PDFSince the 19th century, South Kalimantan was projected by the Dutch colonial government to become a rice farming area. The land used as rice fields at that time was tidal land, which indigenous farmers planted with various types of local rice that were adaptive and had abundant yields. This study aims to explore community knowledge of tidal rice farming in the modern era, document the local rice farming system, and discover the advantages and challenges of rice farming on tidal land. The study was conducted in Patih Muhur Lama and Jejangkit Muara Villages, South Kalimantan, which have historically been tidal lands. Where local rice farming activities already persist. The used methods to collect data were a survey and semi-structured investigation with farmers, traditional Banjar community figures, and field extension workers. Manuscripts and ancient documents were also analyzed descriptively-qualitatively to strengthen the field study results. The results revealed that community knowledge of rice farming on tidal land was still well-maintained. However, there was a change in the annual rice cropping pattern from once a year to twice a year. Furthermore, local and superior rice cropping patterns were implemented in Jejangkit Muara Village, while the integrated farming pattern of rice and oranges was applied in Patih Muhur Village. This change in rice planting patterns has proven to increase the productivity and income of rice farmers. Additionally, tajak-a traditional tillage tool-is rarely used and has been replaced by hand tractors, which can overcome the lack of manpower. Likewise, handil and saka-traditional water management systems-are often found not functioning properly. Moreover, three basic aspects must be considered carefully in rice farming on tidal land: the characteristics of the land, the variety of rice planted, and the expected yield
Diversity of wild mushrooms and ethnomycological studies in Mizoram
Get PDFMizoram is a hotspot for wild mushrooms and its diversity, serving as an important source of food and income for rural inhabitants. However, extensive exploration, proper identification, documentation of wild mushrooms and ethnomycological studies are still lacking. An attempt has been made for the mass collection of wild mushrooms from 2018 to 2022 in Mizoram, which has yielded 450 specimens, of which 81 species were identified, consisting mainly of Polyporaceae (20.99%), followed by Agaricaceae (9.88%) and Lyophyllaceae (7.41%). The collected mushrooms include 23.56% edible, 48.44% non-edible and the remaining medicinal, poisonous, and other categories. They originate from various habitats, predominantly wood (67.11%) and soil (29.56%). An interview with 609 respondents from the ‘Lusei’ and ‘Chakma’ tribes identified three medicinal species (Auricularia auricula-judae, A. delicata and Phallus indusiatus) and nineteen species for food purpose. The nomenclature of mushrooms depends on the appearance, odour, shape, colour, size, texture and nature of habitat among the tribes and found no well-defined vernacular names at the species level. Consumption of mushroom species is also higher among the Chakma tribe than the Lusei tribe. Mushrooms are collected mostly during monsoon season among the tribes. Price of mushrooms varies depending on species among the tribes. Over 75% of respondents found wild mushrooms declining while 17.24% of respondents did not find a change in wild mushroom populations
Physical properties of selected South Indian heritage paddy varieties
Get PDFThere is an increasing trend in the production processing and marketing of traditional crops with a special focus on rice in the southern peninsular region of India. In this context, the current study was carried out to evaluate the dimensional, gravimetric, and frictional characteristics of selected eleven heritage paddy varieties in both raw and parboiled conditions adopting standard procedures. Among the dimensional properties, the L/B ratio classified Muttrinasannam, Thanga samba, and Basmati into an extra-long slender category with reduced volume both in the raw and parboiled conditions. In contrast, bold varieties (Mapillai samba) recorded an increase in volume both in raw and parboiled conditions. The geometric aspect ratio value recorded for Basmati was the lowest indicating good rolling properties in both the raw and parboiled conditions. The traditional rice varieties, Mapillai samba (30.18 g) and Kattuyaanam (30.03 g) scored high for thousand grain weight in raw and parboiled conditions respectively, which is a positive parameter for marketability. A strong correlation has been observed between volume with and surface area, volume with geometric mean diameter and surface area in both raw and parboiled conditions. The present study provides insights on varying post-harvest processing suitability of traditional rice varieties of south India
Impact of water mills on rural livelihood: A study of Arunachal Himalaya
Get PDFThe Himalayan people have a rich ancient tradition and heritage of utilizing water mills (Chhoskor) for grinding purposes. The Shertukpen inhabits in the western and south-western parts of the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya. It is an indigenous tribal group. They are carvers and experts in carving wood and stone. The purpose of this paper is to examine the rich culture of grinding practices through water mills (Chhoskor) by the Shertukpen hence, the practices of traditional watermills have an immense influence on the socio-economic and livelihood aspects of the society. It also examines how this traditional grinding practice is impacting the livelihood of rural areas. The major grinding products are food grains, fruits, vegetables, and other related products. The methods used in this study were interview, focused group discussion, and observation. A field visit was made in July 2022. The study shows that the tools of grinding are now become endangered and vulnerable. These require attention and study for preservation, whereas, the grinding practices have a huge socio-economic impact on rural areas
Morpho-biochemical diversity in tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) genotypes grown under different altitudinal locations of north eastern Himalayas of India
Get PDFSeventeen tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) genotypes were evaluated for their morpho-biochemical diversity in Randomized Block Design under three replications at Sikkim University, Gangtok in 2017-18. The genotypes were grouped into five clusters and cluster I possessed highest number of genotypes (6). Highest inter-cluster distance (372237) was recorded between clusters II & V. Intra-cluster was maximum in cluster III (28651.72) showing diversity within the cluster. The genotype STT-110 produced maximum value for average fruit weight (81 g) and other fruit yield contributing characters. Whereas, STT-40 produced maximum values for iron (1.86 mg/100 g), copper (0.47 mg/100 g) and manganese (1.38 mg/100 g). Genetic parameters (PCV, GCV) along with heritability and genetic advance were highest for anthocyanin (77.26%, 77.19%, 99% and 158.85%), flavonoid (56.91%, 56.90%, 100% and 117.22%), total phenol (52.76%, 52.72%, 99%, and 108.54%), manganese (50.87%, 49.26%, 93%, and 98.28%) and ascorbic acid (41.73%, 41.71%, 99% and 85.89%). Correlation coefficient analysis showed that polar and equatorial diameter of fruit was significantly correlated with average fruit weight. Genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than phenotypic correlation coefficients, which indicate the inherent association among the characters. This study highlights the potential utilization of STT-110 genotype for further selection in future breeding programme for enhancing yield
