STATUS, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION OF SOME THREATENED INDIGENOUS RICE VARIETIES CULTIVATED IN ODISHA, INDIA.

The article presents an ethnobotanical investigation with the purpose to explore the traditional rice varieties cultivated in the interior localities of Jajpur district, Odisha, India. A total of 39 varieties of paddy, befitting the geo-climatic conditions of the place were identified. Most of them are disease and pest resistant varieties, suitable for lowland cultivation. They are also resistant to water logging and flooding. These traditional varieties are gradually being replaced by the high yielding hybrid germplasms, thereby threatening the existence of many invaluable traits present in such local landraces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]