Agrobiodiversity centre to celebrate silver jubilee

Institution has documented as many as 2,032 species of flowering plants in Wayanad

After completing 25 years of service in the field of agrobiodiversity, especially to the plant-based biological resources of Western Ghats for food and nutritional security, the Community Agrobiodiversity Centre (CABC) of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) here is celebrating its silver jubilee on Sunday and Monday.

“Linking science to society with an approach of sustainable utilisation of agrobiodiversity for conservation, cultivation, consumption, and commerce has been the prime focus of the institution over the past 25 years”, said V. Shakeela, Director of MSSRF.

The institution has documented as many as 2,032 species of flowering plants in the district, 39 plant species new to science, 52 species that belong to the Red Data Book and 900 endemic species to the country so far , Dr. Shakeela said.

A botanical garden has been set up on eight acres to promote ex-situ conservation of plant wealth of the Western Ghats. As many as 15 satellite gardens were established in schools, colleges, academic institutions and on the land of interested conservationists, she said. In an effort to participatory conservation of biological diversity, the garden supplied 2.75 lakh tree saplings, comprising 192 species, all across the country.

Community germplasm of tuber crops such as yam and taros were maintained in farmers’ plots to ensure the continuity of genetic resources.

Since the farmers’ fields became the active laboratories to test against the vagaries of climate change, the remaining native varieties stand as proof of its efficiency to withstand the changes in climate, she said.

As many as 30 seed villages have been set up across the State to conserve traditional rice varieties.