Farmers are highly knowledgeable and have been experimenting in the field of crop improvement, pest management and other aspects of agriculture for generations.
Farmers have been using their own saved seeds for staple crops since time immemorial. Seed saving after every harvest is a common farming practice to ensure seed availability, and farmers' seeds comprise an estimated 80 percent of the seed requirement in most developing countries.
The Green Revolution developed and promoted a package of agricultural technology, including high-yielding seed varieties and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to achieve optimum production. By changing natural ecosystems and traditional agricultural practices, the Green Revolution ultimately had a negative impact on farmers.
The formalization and centralization of research have deprived farmers of their role as agricultural researchers. They have become mere recipients of these new technologies and have lost control of their knowledge and plant varieties. Now there is a need to move away from the conventional and back to the traditional farming system and to bring back the farmers' role as researcher, as they have contributed in improving subsistence crops like finger millet, paddy, sorghum, pearl millet and many varieties of vegetables.
2. On-farm conservation of seed diversity:
Although farming communities have been conserving seeds for millennia, the modernization of cultivation methods has undermined indigenous knowledge and has resulted in the erosion of plant genetic resources. Gene banks were created to address this erosion, and over the past 30 years seeds have been conserved ex-situ at both the national and international level by organizations such as CGIAR, NBPGR, IBPGR, ICRISAT and the ICAR.
Ex-situ conservation has many limitations, however, and there has been a realization of importance of on-farm conservation which is the co-evolution of crops and their pest which is the slowness of the system wherein the farmers get ample time to observe and make adjustments and to absorb innovations into their farming systems. On-farm conservation is also important in enabling indigenous varieties to adapt to the changing climate. The concept of a community-owned seed supply is a systematic approach that involves seed collection, storage, multiplication and evaluation. It works with farmers as the centre of conservation, emphasizing sustainable agriculture at the decentralized local level.
2.1. Need for conserving seeds at the local level:• High-quality seeds can be produced at low cost, best suited to the local environmental level.
• Healthy, pest- and disease-resistant varieties can be produced.
• Local seed conservation allows for the cultivation and conservation of rare seed varieties that are not available commercially.
• The production costs are reasonable, and the varieties are best suited for sustainable agriculture.
2.2. Genetic erosion and the need for collection and conservation:
A wide range of diversity in genetic resources is threatened to extinction. The agents of genetic erosion include drought, diffusion of advanced cultivars, crop replacement, diseases and pests, deforestation, and land-use change.
Genetic erosion is mainly caused by massive and wholesale eradication of breeding materials over thousands of square miles of arable land (monoculture). Uniformity poses the risk of pest attack and narrowed genetic characteristics, which can increase vulnerability to adverse environmental conditions.
Hybrid varieties have replaced thousands of traditional, drought- and pest-resistant varieties, which are facing the threat of extinction. The need for prevention and conservation of pure traditional varieties of seeds is urgent.
2.2.1. Features of traditional seeds:
• They are well adapted to the conditions of their native areas, possess high nutritional value, are resistant to pests and disease, and have many uses.
• They are used as food, fodder, fuel, medicine, fiber, fertilizer, craft material, religious symbols, etc.
• They are widely adaptable in varied agroclimatic conditions.
3. Indigenous knowledge and agricultural practices:
Seeds are living entities. Even when seeds are in a dormant state, proper care is necessary to maintain the life within. Seed is an important consideration in crop production. Good quality seeds are characterized by high germination, high vigor, moisture content, genetic and physical purity, and freedom from pests and diseases. As said, "A healthy mother alone can give birth to a healthy child; similarly only healthy soil or seed can produce healthy crops." Seed conservation on-farm (in-situ) and in gardens that are confined to smaller geographic areas is the cheapest, easiest and safest method, with a farmer-run conservation programme that includes:
• Planning.
• Collection and documentation.
• Seed treatment and storage.
• Testing for seed viability and grow-out.
• Evaluation, characterization and multiplication. •
Documentation: Documentation plays a major political role at every stage that focuses on traditional varieties that are on the brink of extinction. •
Seed collection: Seed collection involving farmers is beneficial as farmers have a wealth of indigenous knowledge about distinguishing varietal diversity in individual crops. Seed fairs, shandys and markets are excellent means of collecting and conserving biodiversity, exchanging knowledge and spreading diversity. •
Seed cleaning: Cleaning is the first step after seed collection and is a quick check for seeds with debris, infection or infestation and seeds of other species. •
Seed drying: The process of drying allows moisture to evaporate from the seeds and their pods, which helps to keep pests and insects away.
Some of the drying methods are:
• Natural drying.
• Sun drying.
• Unheated, heated and dehumidified air drying.
• Drying with desiccants such as silica gel and other high-technology methods.
• Vacuum drying and freeze-drying.
Some of the measures farmers suggest for drying seeds are:
• Seed is dried on a mat or a piece of cloth. If exposed to mud, the seeds are prone to disease.
• Avoid direct sunlight between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., as this reduces the sprouting strength of the seed.
• Pulses such as red gram, cowpea, green pea, black gram and field bean are to be dried after smearing with castor oil.
• Gourds are allowed to dry on the plant.
•
Seed treatment: The process of protecting seeds from diseases, seed rot and seedling blights, storage insects and soil insects is seed treatment.•
Traditional and non-chemical methods of insect control: Many natural additives like local plants, minerals and oil are used for treating the seeds.
Example: The leaf, seed and fruit of neem are all used. A layer 5-7 leaves thick is spread over a large quantity of grain. Powder made from neem seeds is widely used with stored products. The powder mixed with wheat at the rate of 10-20 grams/kg of wheat protects against rice weevils for almost a year.•
Treating diseases in seeds: Hot water treatment and fermentation are two of the simple non-toxic methods used to prevent diseases in seeds.
Example: Soaking seeds in water at a temperature of 50° C for 25 minutes treats seeds for diseases like black rot, black leaf spot and black leg in cabbage.
•
Treating seeds (4gm/kg) with trichoderma and pseudomonas controls a wide range of diseases in all crops, particularly paddy and vegetables.
Farmers' methods for seed treatment include:
• Treating wetland paddy, dry paddy and finger millet with diluted cow’s urine (1:10) decreases the failure of germination of the seed as well as seedling mortality. It also prevents seed-borne diseases like neck blast in finger millet and blast in paddy.
• Treating seeds in salt water increases the vigor of seedlings and reduces seed-borne fungal diseases.
• Soaking paddy in milk and water in a ratio of 1:5 for half an hour prevents yellowing of leaves and leaf spot disease.
• Soaking vegetable seeds in a solution of ash (2 spoonfuls) + water (one liter) will prevent rot at the sprouting stage.
Seed storage:Seed storage has been an intrinsic part of traditional farming lifestyles. To keep their seeds clean and free from pests during storage, farmers follow some common practices. Seeds are commonly stored in earthen pots, bamboo baskets or similar containers made from natural materials rather than in sacks. Seed storability depends on the type of seed. Seeds are short lived.
Example: onion, soyabean, groundnut. Starchy seeds can be stored for a considerably longer period than protein- or oil-containing seeds can be vulnerable , because of their hygroscopic nature. Traditional seed storage methods include Hagevu, Kanaja, Tombe, and Moode.
Indigenous seed storage methods: • 15-20 chilies strewn through a sack of rice can prevent pest attacks. • Seeds smeared with red earth and soaked in cow's urine, then dried and stored will protect seeds from pests.• The ash of paddy husk is mixed with jowar, paddy, or wheat to prevent seed borers.• Crushed limestone mixed with seeds protects from pests.• Seeds rubbed with boiled castor oil or roasted castor seed powder and thoroughly dried in the sun are less susceptible to pest attack.• Neem leaves mixed with sorghum seeds are kept in a storage structure made from lakki sticks, pasted with cow dung and covered by paddy straw.• Storing sorghum seeds with husk is an effective way to control pests.
Testing for seed viability and grow-out: After the storage period, the
strength or vigor of seeds must be determined to estimate the seeds' uniformity or speed of germination, along with their health, purity and moisture content.
Seed germination is the active growth of the embryo. The germination percentage reflects whether the seeds should still be stored or planted in order to get the desired number of plants.
Women farmers, who are the custodians of seeds, select the seeds from their storage and harvest, and conduct germination tests as cultural and ritual aspects of farming.
In Karnataka this germination test is built into the festival of "Ugadi," during which the seeds are sown in a clay pot and observed over a period of nine days.
Seed evaluation, characterization and multiplication: The seed variety must be characterized and evaluated according to the farmers' requirements. Evaluation of genetic resources includes details such as yields, quality, resistance to diseases and pests, adaptation to the environment and cultural value.
Documentation of characterization consists of recording those characteristics that are inheritable and can be seen easily by the naked eye. Seed multiplication is necessary to increase the number of varieties for conservation and utilization.
4. Practices aiding participatory crop improvement (PCI) initiatives with reference to different crops:Finger Millet
Finger millet is a short, profusely tillering plant with a characteristic of fingerlike terminal inflorescence, bearing small reddish seeds. Crop maturity is between 3-6 months depending on the variety and growing conditions. The crop is adapted to fairly reliable rainfall conditions and has an extensive but shallow root system. It has wide adaptability to all manner of soils. When the soil has rested through summer, weeds germinate with the first rain, which occurs at the end of April. Tank silt is applied to the soil just before the rain begins and soon after the land is ploughed thrice to incorporate weeds in the soil.
In the month of June, farmyard manure amounting to 24 cartloads per acre is spread throughout the field before sowing the seed. This compost is cared for throughout the year by adding neem leaves and cake in May, flowers and leaves of Pongamia during June and flowers of Madhuca species during September. All of these act as insect and pest repellent and as biomass. In some cases, 100 kg of neem cake is broadcast on a single acre before ploughing to enrich soil fertility and productivity.
Farmers have nurtured the multi-cropping system for generations. The diversity of the small farms of the dry land regions has ensured food, fodder and fuel throughout the year. It is this model of cultivation that needs to be sustained to ensure food security in its broadest sense.
Pest control methods used by the farmers:
A few larvae of the pest are collected and boiled with ghee (200 ml). This mixture is diluted with 10 liters of water and sprayed onto the standing crop with a broom; this infects the younger larvae and controls the pest. The odu kai fruit is cut into small pieces and soaked in water, and later the solution is sprayed onto the standing crop. The pungent smell of the solution repels the pests.
Crop rotation with finger millet:
In central and southern Karnataka, rotation of finger millet is followed with crops like castor, horse gram, pigeon pea, green gram, black gram and cow pea.
| YEAR |
SEASON |
CROP ROTATION |
ADVANTAGE |
| I YEAR |
KHARIF |
CASTOR AND HORSE GRAM |
MINIMUM COST OF CULTIVATION ENRICHMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY SUITABLE FOR DROUGHT CONDITIONS |
| II YEAR |
KHARIF AND RABI |
PIGEON PEA |
MULTIPLE HARVEST NO ADDITIONAL CULTIVATION COST EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF LAND. |
| III YEAR |
KHARIF |
GREEN GRAM, BLACKGRAM, COWPEA |
NITROGEN FIXATIONIN SOIL FODDER AVAILABILITY FOR CATTLE-DOUBLE CROPPING SYSTEM IN DRY LAND CONDITIONS. |
|
Diseases of finger millet:
• Blast: This is the most serious finger millet disease and occurs between September and October.
• Sheath blight, leaf blight and foot rot: Infection occurs in leaves, leaf sheaths, nodes, internodes, crown and inflorescence.
• Crown rot or sclerotial root rot: The plant shows stunted growth and paleness due to attack of fungus. Wet soil conditions favor the disease.
Seed treatment to control finger blast
According to farmers, the incidence of blast disease in finger millet is caused by excessive humidity that permits the growth and development of the pathogen known to cause neck and finger blast. Farmers treat seeds with local materials like salt water, cow urine, etc. Farmer-oriented research revealed that treating seeds with cow urine, salt water and asafetida before sowing was effective against seed borne diseases.
• Sorghum:
Sorghum is a seasonal erect plant that grows up to 4 meters in height. It has a dry or juicy stem, hairy sheath covering part of the internodes and alternate flat leaf blades. The plant is usually photo sensitive, but insensitive types are commonly cultivated. The traditional varieties are tall and maturing. The crop is largely self- fertilized but also cross-pollinated up to 10 percent. Farmers consider criteria including long ear head, freedom from diseases and pests, normal plant and drought resistance during seed selection. The seeds selected by mass selection method are called foundation seeds.
Some of the monsoon varieties of sorghum are:
Gidda Jola, Ekkernal Jola, Sajjagiri Jola, Gatti tene Jola, Malandi, Pule Yeshodha and Halle Jola.
Farmers' cultivation practices include: • Sowing sorghum during early June to prevent shoot fly infection.
• Generally, cultivation of varieties with good grain production and fodder-yielding capacity are popular among farmers.
• Mixed cropping with legume crops such as green gram, cowpea and black gram helps increase yield by improving soil fertility.
• Crop rotation and use of FYM/Green manure help improve yields and avoid disease outbreak.
• Spray of cow urine, asafetida and soap/detergent in 5:1:1 combination before flowering helps to control insect damage
Pearl millet:
Pearl millet is an annual erect plant that grows up to 4 meters high with solid round or oval stems and slightly swollen nodes. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem. The inflorescence is a terminal spike-like panicle carrying large numbers of small, round seeds. The crop is cross-pollinated and takes 3-4 months to mature. Flower fertilization takes place from top to the base of the ear head. Hence, first fertilized seeds formed at the top half of the ear head are healthy, bold and pure seeds.
Seed storage method:
In the northern parts of Karnataka, farmers dig out a pit and fill it with ear head husk at the bottom, then paste the side with a mixture of ash, cow dung, termite hill soil and neem leaves. Ash is spread as the second layer, and then the grains are added to the pit. The top layer is covered with ash, neem leaves and paddy straw. For one quintal of grains, two baskets of ash are required.
Cropping system:• Cluster bean + pearl millet
• Vegetable pigeon pea + pearl millet + sorghum
5. Maintaining crop nutrition:
Maintaining soil fertility and productivity on a sustainable basis is of primary importance for continuous agriculture production. Hence while developing soil health, it is very important to augment and regulate the content and quality of humus. Complete nutrition is not available from the soil and has to be supplemented externally. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers destroys the environment as well as the consumers' health. Therefore in order to minimize the use of chemical fertilizers, farmers have developed natural fertilizers to supply nutrients to the soil. Materials used are entirely organic and easily available on the farm. The manure (or compost, as it is called) is applied directly to the soil or sprayed onto the plants at different growth stages. Some of the natural ingredients used for crop nutrition are:• Compost.
• Vermicompost.
• Manure tea.
• Panchagavya.
• Amruta sanjeevini.
• Homemade regulators.
• Jeevamruda
• Vermiwash
• Fish medicine and oil.
6. Integrated approach for institutionalizing PCI initiatives:
Since the 1980s, the importance of partnerships between farmers and breeders/development agencies/institutions has been growing with wider acceptability among all those concerned. This process of active collaboration and constant interaction between local people and outside facilitators has resulted in much more sustainable, eco-friendly and culturally acceptable farming systems. The following steps have to be initiated to institutionalize PCI initiatives: • Strengthen the relationships between the farmers and the other actors along with local networks as a first step in the process.• The institutions/development agencies involved in PCI initiatives must understand farmers' indigenous knowledge as well as the opportunities and problems it presents.• Farmers must understand the aim of PCI initiatives. This type of understanding is the strongest driving force in any participatory programme.• Seek alternatives and new approaches to implementing PCI initiatives.• Continue experimentation and implementation.• Share the results with the farmers. Provide a platformthat allows for open discussion and continuous learning through the analysis of farmer-driven experiments.• Sustaining the process of PCI, whatever the method or the process of the PCI initiative, the facilitator agency ultimately must aim for empowering the individual farmer breeders and the participating communities with a capacity to implement a continuous and effective process of change. The PCI programme must be developed in such a way that the spirit of experimentation by the farmer breeders will become a sustainable development mechanism in local agro-ecological systems.
