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BP Singh

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2 R.S. RanaIndian Centre of Origin and Diversity of Cultivated PlantsIndian subcontinent is well known since long as an importantcentre of" origin and diversity of a large number of agrirrrticulturalcrops. Over 1S,(10() species of flowering plants aren~tive to this region. These include more than 160 domesticated'species of economic importance alongwith over 320 species of theirwild ancestral forms and close relatives and also around 800species of ethnobotanical interest. Agri-biodiversity compriseslandraces and traditional cultivars· of several cereals, millets,legumes, vep;etables, fruits, forages, fibres, sugarcane, spices,condiments and medicinal & aromatic plants.Crops in which rich diversity still occurs in India includerice (Oryza sativa var. indica and several wild species), wheat(Triticum aestivum, T. durum, T, dieoccum), barley (Hordeum vulgare),sugarcane (Saccharum species and allied genera), Echinochloa,Panicum species, Setaria species and Paspalum species, foragegrasses, legumes (Vigna radiata, V. mungo, V. aconitifolia,V. umbellata and V. unguiculata, Cieer arietinunt, Cajallus cajan,Lablab purpureus), several Brassica species, sesame (Sesamumindictlm), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus and other allied species), eggplant (Solanum melongena and related types), Citrus species, bananaand plantains (Musa species belonging to different genomicgroups), jackfruit (Artocarptts heterophyllus, A. illtegl'ijolia), mango(Mangifera indica), Phyllanthus emblica, Carissa carandus, Syzygiu11lspecies, jute (Col'chorus capsularis), tree cotton (Gossypium arboreul1i),ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma species), pepper(Piper species), cinnamon and cardamom. Among tuber crops, richvariability exists in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), taros (Colocasiaand Alocasia), yams (Dioscorea esculenta, D. alata, D. dcltoidea etc.),Coleus species, swordbean (Canavalia species), velvet bean (Mucunaspecies), elephant foot yams and coconut (Cocos nucifera), particularlyin Nicobar group of Islands. Diversity also occurs in several minor .fruits such as Zizyphus jujube and Z.nummularia, Capparis decidua,Syzygium cumin ii, Myristica fragrans, Aegle ntarmelos and severalspecies of the genera Ribes, Rubus, Juglans, Pyrus and Prunus.Concentration of genetic diversity comprising native speciesand landraces occurs more in Western ghats and NorthweasternHimalayas. The richness of plant diversity is largely due to

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