To identify the pocket areas with high varietal diversity and where threatened landraces are located. To document the diversity and value of rice genetic resources and indigenous knowledge associated with rice production systems at community level within the study area. To collect seeds of local landraces for conservation and promotion purposes. Summary This paper describes the rice growing environments and status of indigenous rainfed and aromatic rice landraces in Pokhara Valley of Nepal.
Rice is grown as staple and cash crop in the study area.
More than 75 local landraces have been reported by the farmers, of which only 11 landraces are popular, area under 47 landraces is decreasing over years while 17 have already been lost from the valley. Varietal diversity as recalled by farmers ranged from 24 to 5 over sites. Farmers consider a number of parameters to evaluate landraces and present study has documented 16 such criteria. Grain and straw yields are found to be the major criteria, however, farmers compromise selection criteria depending upon the production objectives. The study indicated that local landraces have not yet received proper attention for their promotion and conservation at local or national level.