Journal of Environment and Sociobiology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Sweet Potato and Taro Resilient to Stresses:Sustainable Livelihood in Fragile Zones Vulnerable to Climate Changes


Affiliations
1 Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Bhubaneswar-751019, Odisha, India
2 CRRI, Cuttack, Odisha, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and taro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] are the important tuber crops used as staple or subsistence food by millions of people in developing nations. Both tubers and leaves of these crops are an alternative source of dietary energy. Visibility of these crops as life support crops species has been enhanced during post super cyclone in Odisha and Tsunami in coastal states of India. Genetic diversity of these crops, and their wide distribution and potential to adapt in harsh environmental condition advocate for their further exploitation to develop stress tolerant crops with valued traits. Gene flow through conventional breeding is hindered owing to flowering behaviours, cytogenetical anomalies in taro and hexaploidy coupled with self incompatibility in sweet potato.

To make these crops more resilient, an extensive study was taken up integrating conventional and non conventional methods to tap the vast potential of genetic diversity in isolating the stress tolerant sweet potato and taro genotypes. The varietal gene bank of sweet potato maintained at the Regional Centre farm of the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) were also tested under in situ to study tolerance to environmental stresses. Under such conditions, percentage of leaf damage and vine weight were recorded to identify the varieties to cope with unfavorable agro-climatic conditions. Results to isolate and develop stress tolerant sweet potato and taro and, their impact on livelihood security under climatic adversities are discussed.


Keywords

Sweet Potato, Taro, Stress, Tolerance, Food Security.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • ICAR. 2006. Handbook of Agriculture, (ICAR, New Delhi).

  • Lebot, V. and Aradhya, K. M. 1992. Collecting and evaluating taro (Colocasia esculenta) for isozyme variation. Plant Genetic Resources News letter, 90: 47-49.

  • Mukherjee, A. 2002. Effect of NaCl on in vitro propagation of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 102: 431-441.

  • Mukherjee, A., Naskar, S. K., Debata, B. K., Lakhanpaul, S. and Bhatt, K. V. 2003. Cytogenetics of callus cultures and in vitro regenerated plants of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L). Plant Science Research, 25(1&2): 13-20.

  • Mukherjee, A., Debata, B. K., Naskar, S. K., Sahu, S. and Sahoo, M. R. 2004. Biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) : A review. Plant Science Research, 26(1 & 2): 1-9.

  • Mukherjee, A. 2004. Integrated approach for genetic improvement of taro [Colocasia esculenta (l.) Schott] to develop tolerant lines to biotic and abiotic stresses. In: Final Report (August, 2002 - December, 2004), Code No. F .No.28(1)/2002NATP/CGP-III/305, 44pp.

  • Mukherjee, A. 2005. Integrated approach for selection, induction and characterization for development of salt tolerant sweet potato. In: Final Report (May 2002-April 2005), Code No. 303073652 [F. No. 8 (46)/2002-Hort.II dated 10th January, 2002, ICAR Cess Fund Scheme], 43pp.

  • Mukherjee, A., Naskar, S. K. and Edison, S. 2009a. Salt tolerant biofortified orange and purple flesh sweet potato: coastal food and nutrition security, CTCRI, Trivandrum. Tech. Bull., 51, 36pp.

  • Mukherjee, A., Naskar, S. K., Poddar, A., Dasgupta, M., Sahoo, M. R., and Chand, P. K., 2009 b. Submergence and salinity tolerance in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) : progress and prospects. Plant Sci. Res., 31(1 & 2): 1-9.

  • Mukherjee, A. 2010. Sweet potato varietal importance and its potential contribution to enhancing rural livelihoods in Orissa. In: Attaluri, S., Janardhan, K. V., Light, A. (eds.). Proc. Workshop and Training on Sustainable Sweet potato Production and Utilization in Odisha, India. (pp 19-29). International Potato Centre (CIP), SWCA, CIP Liaison Office, RC CTCRI, Bhubaneswar, India.

  • Mukherjee, A., Naskar, S. K. and Misra., R. S. 2011. Biotic and abiotic stress tolerant sweet potato and taro vs. 'The Paradox' of food insecurity under changing environment. In Proceedings of National Seminar on Climate Change and Food Security: Challenges and oppurtunities for tuber crops. (Eds: Sajeev, M. S., Anantharaman, M., Padmaja, G., Unnikrishnan, M., Ravi, V., Suja, G. and Hedge, V.), pp-94-99.

  • Mukherjee, A. and Naskar, S. K. 2012. Performance of orange and purple flesh sweet potato genotypes in coastal belts of Odisha. Journal of Root Crops, 38: 71-76.

  • Mukherjee, A., Naskar, S. K., Pati, K., Misra, R. S., Sahoo, B. K., Chakraborti, S. K., George, J., Vimala, B., Unnikrishnan, M. and Sreekumari, M. T. 2013. Valued traits in genetic resources of tuber crops: Ascent to food and nutrition security under changing climate. Paper presented in International Conference, ICTRT, 2013, 9-12 July, Trivandrum, Kerala, India, p.19.

  • Russel, N., 2007. The agricultural impact of global climate change: How can developing country farmers cope? Geotimes (Earth), 52(4): 30-34.


Abstract Views: 697

PDF Views: 1




  • Sweet Potato and Taro Resilient to Stresses:Sustainable Livelihood in Fragile Zones Vulnerable to Climate Changes

Abstract Views: 697  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Archana Mukherjee
Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Bhubaneswar-751019, Odisha, India
S. K. Naskar
Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Bhubaneswar-751019, Odisha, India
R. C. Ray
Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Bhubaneswar-751019, Odisha, India
K. Pati
Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Bhubaneswar-751019, Odisha, India
Arup Mukherjee
CRRI, Cuttack, Odisha, India

Abstract


Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and taro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] are the important tuber crops used as staple or subsistence food by millions of people in developing nations. Both tubers and leaves of these crops are an alternative source of dietary energy. Visibility of these crops as life support crops species has been enhanced during post super cyclone in Odisha and Tsunami in coastal states of India. Genetic diversity of these crops, and their wide distribution and potential to adapt in harsh environmental condition advocate for their further exploitation to develop stress tolerant crops with valued traits. Gene flow through conventional breeding is hindered owing to flowering behaviours, cytogenetical anomalies in taro and hexaploidy coupled with self incompatibility in sweet potato.

To make these crops more resilient, an extensive study was taken up integrating conventional and non conventional methods to tap the vast potential of genetic diversity in isolating the stress tolerant sweet potato and taro genotypes. The varietal gene bank of sweet potato maintained at the Regional Centre farm of the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) were also tested under in situ to study tolerance to environmental stresses. Under such conditions, percentage of leaf damage and vine weight were recorded to identify the varieties to cope with unfavorable agro-climatic conditions. Results to isolate and develop stress tolerant sweet potato and taro and, their impact on livelihood security under climatic adversities are discussed.


Keywords


Sweet Potato, Taro, Stress, Tolerance, Food Security.

References