North-Western Himalaya-A Centre of Maize Diversity

Abstract

Exploration and germplasm collection programme undertaken recently in
the hilly region comprising interior pockets in the districts of Rajauri,
Poonch, Udhampur and Doda/Kishfwar and adjoining Chamba district of
Himachal Pradesh in the North- Western Himalaya (Pir PanjaJ and Shiwalik
ranges) and also in the foothills of Himachal Pradesh with contiguous
Ambala district of Haryana, showed the occurrence of rich landrace diversity
in both flint and dent types. The analysis of diversity was made on natural
populations comprising distinci types by grouping the collecti01JS in four
categories based on their regionalfagro-ecological adaptation. The mean,
range and coefficient of variability estimates were obtained regionwise. The
results showed existence of high genetic variability for most of the cobs and
seed characters. Genetic variability was evident in attributes such as height
(l-5m) and adaptation to varying altitudinal ranges (upto 3000 m elevations).
Cob size, shape, number of grain rows/cob and colours exhibited considerable
polymorphism and similar variation.; were observed for grain size