Economic return from the land race vegetables and their importance in sustainable production systems in the hot arid region Meena S.R.*, Sharma B.D., Singh R.S., Singh D. ICAR-Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner-334 006, Rajasthan, India *Address for correspondence S.R. Meena: ICAR-Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner-334 006, Rajasthan, India E-mail: srm.extn@gmail.com
Online published on 28 April, 2016. Abstract The present study was conducted in hot arid region of the Western Rajasthan during 2012–2014. Three districts of hot arid region namely; Naguar, Bikaner, Churu district were selected randomly for the study. During the study, there were found several potential landrace vegetables in the hot arid region which play significant role as the leading component crops of the sustainable production system and source of income generation in the study areas/district. Among the evergreen bush/tree type landrace vegetables were khejri, ker, Khimp, moringa, phog, lasoda (Cordia myxa Roxb.), Indian aloe, and cactus (Opuntia ficus indica). Under the group of the seasonal leafy vegetable, fenugreek, amaranth, chinopodium (bathua), mustard (leaves), green onion, were found the major landrace leafy vegetables contributing in sustainable production system and income generation in hot arid region (study areas). In case of cucurbitaceous vegetable group, the kachri, snapmelon, mateera, roundmelon, bottlegourd and kakoda were found the most important landrace cucurbitaceous vegetables which play leading role in sustenance and sustainable production system of the crops in hot arid region (study areas). They are the backbone of the world famous mixed cropping system of the hot arid region which makes the existing cropping system most suitable and sustainable with high economic viability. Other important landrace vegetables were cluster bean, moth bean, cowpea, green gram, brinjal, chilli and local mushroom which play vital roles in sustainable crop production system and generating substantial amount of income in the study areas/districts. Further, it was found that the majority (86.8%) of the farmers of the study areas of the hot arid region mainly follow mixed cropping system and some of them follow intercropping and sole cropping system also. With respect to economic gain from the landrace vegetables, it was found they have high economic value and marketing viability. They are very good source of income and trade specific activities for the farmers/dwellers in the study areas of the hot arid region. The ker (Capparis deciduas Edgew), khejri (Prosopis cineraria L.) Druce and cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus (L.)Taub were found the most economic landrace vegetable among all in the hot arid region/study areas. Top Keywords Evaluation, landrace vegetables, sustainable production, hot arid region, spectrum. Top |