Variation in Glucosinolate Contents and Quality Characteristics in the Seed of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) along an Altitudinal Gradient in trans-Himalayan Ladakh

Glucosinolates (GS) are amino acid derived secondary metabolites present specifically in Brassicaceae family. The effect of altitude (2800 m - 4000 m) on GS contents and seed quality characteristics in radish (Raphanus sativus L.) was investigated. The total GS in radish seed was 147.5±21.5 μmol/g DW, which included five aliphatic and four indolic GS compounds. Increasing altitude was related linearly to increase in total GS contents (R2 = 0.759). Among individual GS, glucoraphanin and glucoraphenin showed consistently increasing trend with altitude. Increasing altitude is related linearly to increase in 100 seed weight (R2 = 0.266) and seed yield per plant (R2 = 0.849). A steady decreasing trend was observed in seed moisture content (R2 = 0.831) and siliqua length (R2 = 786) with increasing altitude. Altitude of plant origin was positively correlated with GS contents (r = 0.900, p≤ 0.01), seed weight per plant (r = 0.919, p≤ 0.01) and geometric mean diameter (r = 0.661, p≤ 0.01), and negatively correlated with siliqua length (r = -0.880, p≤ 0.01), moisture content (r = -0.884, p≤ 0.01) and seed vigour index (r = -0.547, p≤ 0.01). Our results indicate that the concentration of GS in radish seed and seed quality traits can be significantly increased by growing plants at higher altitude

Vegetable Production Scenario in Trans-Himalayan Leh Ladakh Region, India

The high altitude trans-Himalayan Ladakh region remains cut-off for over six months in a year due to heavy snowfall. Long harsh winters reduce the cropping season to just four to five months in a year. Single-cropping is dominant and agriculture production is entirely based on irrigation. The average land holding is small and emphasis has been on minimal use of off-farm inputs. Meeting the fresh vegetable requirement of the burgeoning local population, defence forces and the incoming tourists in this remote mountainous area is a formidable challenge.Very few vegetable types were traditionally grown in Ladakh. Significant progress has been made since 1960s in promoting vegetable cultivation in the region. The vegetable production scenario and consumption choices have undergone drastic changes, compared to what was available some decades back. Agro-techniques and vegetable production calendar in Ladakh differs from lowland parts of the country. Vegetable farms are smaller with an average 0.2 acre. The area of vegetable production constitutes 5.5 per cent of the total 10,319 hectares of agricultural land in Leh district. The widely grown vegetables were potato (75.6 per cent), peas (10.7 per cent), onion (3.4 per cent), cabbage (3.3 per cent), carrot (2.0 per cent) and cauliflower (1.8 per cent). Preference for potato, onion, cabbage and carrot was largely contributed to the desired long term storage capacity for consumption during the landlocked winter months. Supply to the army and tourism industry is the major factor for rapid transformation of vegetable production in the region. Critical areas that need focused attention include technology for vegetable production in winter months, post harvest management, seed production, organic certification, area expansion, harnessing niches and building stronger linkages between growers and consumers

Traditional irrigation and water distribution system in Ladakh

397-402An attempt has been made to discuss the importance of water to Ladakh farmers, its use pattern, traditional irrigation and water distribution methods, prevalent management institutions, and how these phenomena are codified through expression in folk tradition and local beliefs

Traditional knowledge and heirloom root vegetables: Food security in trans-Himalayan Ladakh, India

191-197This study elaborates the role of heirloom vegetables coming down from generations to generations into the life support system of native Ladakhi highlanders (in the trans-Himalaya region of India). The study was conducted with 165 Ladakhi men and women using a combination of personal interviews and participatory methods indicated that heirloom vegetables are known for their taste, colour, shape and adaptability among Ladakhi people, and form an integral part of their food system during the period of scarcity, especially during the winter months when the region remains landlocked. Due to unfavourable conditions caused by severe cold, high altitude and a short growing season the production of many vegetable varieties are hampered. During such periods, the heirloom root vegetables available in the region with higher shelf life are of immense utility in securing the food security of the local community. However, the introduction of new varieties is posing a threat to the traditional heirloom root vegetables, and many are in verge of extinction accompanied by decreasing trend in their growing percentage. These vegetables are stored for consumption during winter, although the trend is currently declining. If the same trend continues, appropriate in situ conservations interventions are needed

Local institutions for sustainable management of common property resources: Learning from Nubra valley in Leh district, India

395-402<span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="" lang="EN-GB">In risk-prone high altitude areas like Ladakh many resources, including highland pasture lands, groves for fuel wood, and irrigation waters, are held in common. The common property regime helps local inhabitants access different eco-environments and thus reduces risk and vulnerability. There are norms and regulations for sustainable management of such common property resources. In this paper, we focus on local institutions for management of tsogs (forest groves) in the Nubra valley of Ladakh. The tsogs provide local people with their required fuel wood, pasture land for animals, as well as aesthetic beauty in this cold desert area. During the early 1980s these tsogs were an unregulated ‘open assess resource’, and over the time due to various contextual factors there was over exploitation of these forest groves for commercial purposes, and their sustainability was threatened. To combat this problem, this open assess resource was converted in to a common property resource, with institutional norms enacted for its sustainable use. We discuss the various types of norms and regulation patterns related to tsogs management including the various stakeholders included, and their respective rights and duties. The unique and effective way of peer monitoring/ self discipline among the appropriators was found to be the prevalent monitoring mechanism, devoid of any formal and tangible monitoring system. Similar systems can be developed and replicated in areas with similar geography and context.</span

Weather prediction using traditional knowledge in cold arid high altitude region of Ladakh in India

The Union territory of Ladakh in India is a cold arid high altitude region. The subsistence nature of agriculture being practiced (by majority of farmers) in the region is solely dependent on melted glacier water. The present study was undertaken in Leh district of Ladakh to identify, prioritize and understand the traditional knowledge (TK) used by the farming community for prediction of weather. The primary data were collected from 320 households from 20 villages in Leh district from 2015 to 2020. The primary data were aided and validated by Focused Group Discussions with key informants and stakeholders working in the region such as scientists from research institutions and officials from agriculture and line departments. Farmers used combination of indicators including behavioral changes of birds and animals, change in atmospheric events and inferences drawn from Lotho (almanac) to predict weather. Migration pattern of birds was the most ancient, common and widely prevalent TK used for prediction of onset and extent of snowfall and winter season by farmers. Building of nest by birds on poplar tree (Poplus sp.) at different heights and directions was used to predict temperatures in the forthcoming summer season. The duration of hibernation of Himalayan marmots (Marmota himalayana) was an indication of duration of snowfall and winter temperatures. Timing and extent of precipitation (rainfall and snowfall) was used to predict the distribution of snowfall and winter temperatures. Lotho was extensively used for planning agricultural operations till a decade ago. The farming community used different TK in totality to enhance the accuracy of weather prediction. It was found that improved connectivity of the region with the mainland, introduction of modern communication technologies and decreasing dependence on agriculture as a primary livelihood option (because of the emergence of non-farm based opportunities such as services and tourism) have made the use of TK less prevalent among young generation farmers. However, the majority of the farmers expressed the need for blending TK and modern science for addressing location-specific problems