VIKAS C. TYAGI*, N. DIKSHIT, D. R. PANI, B. C. MARNDI AND G. SAHAY
ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi-284003(U.P.), India
ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Cuttack-753006 (Odisha), India
ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack-753006 (Odisha), India
*(e-mail : tyagiv54@yahoo.in)
(Received : 30 June 2020; Accepted : 21 July 2020)
SUMMARY
Systematic exploration and forage germplasm collection was carried out in three districts namely Murshidabad, Nadia and North 24 Parganas of West Bengal region of India during October-November 2019. During the exploration, efforts were made to collect the important grasses and legumes of the region. A total of 37 samples of forage importance belonging to 21 species of 17 genera viz. Avena sativa (1 acc.), Bajra napier hybrid (2 acc.), Brachiaria brizantha (1 acc.), Brachiaria mutica (1 acc.), Cenchrus ciliaris (1 acc.), Chlorisbarbata (4 acc.), Chrysopogon zizanioides (1 acc.), Clitoria ternatea (1 acc.), Coixlacryma-jobi (4 acc.), Digitaria ciliaris (1 acc.), Echinochloa colona (1 acc.), Echinochloa spp. (1 acc.), Eleusine indica (4 acc.), Lablab purpureus (1 acc.), Oplismenus burmannii (1 acc.), Panicum maximum (2 acc.), Pennisetum pedicellatum (2 acc.), Setaria sphacelata (1 acc.), Setaria verticillata (3 acc.), Sorghum bicolor (2 acc.), Sorghum halepense (1 acc.) and Themeda quadrivalvis (1 acc.) were collected. Passport characteristics of forage diversity collected including discussions on fodder availability, deficit and future scope of increasing fodder areas in the state of West Bengal were highlighted in the paper.
Key words:Distribution, diversity, forage genetic resources