Thus it is a 'hot spot' of variability for many economic crops and their wild relatives. It is believed that about 40 per cent of the forest area has yet to be surveyed and the flora classified. This paper highlights the Genetic Diversity of some important crops in the northeastern region. Wide climatic variations are recorded from tropical to sub-tropical, temperate, and alpine zones, but, as a whole, the region is considered to be wet tropical because of its high rainfall and humidity. Over 90 per cent of the population is rural and engaged in agriculture.
Land uses vary from state to state.
Wide variations in elevation from area to area contribute to great variations in climate, vegetation types, and agricultural practices. Generally, the valleys are warm and cold temperatures prevail at higher elevations. Annual rainfall varies from 1,300mm in parts of Assam, Sikkim, and Nagaland to over 10,000 mm at Cherrapunji, Meghalaya. Food Crops Rice, barley, Coix, finger millet, and foxtail millet are native to the region. Rice is the main crop in the region and there are diverse cultivars with useful genes.