Lumami: Researchers at Nagaland University have identified significant genetic diversity in wild banana species in the North East, underlining their potential to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture and future crop improvement programmes.
The study focused on Musa sikkimensis, commonly known as the ‘Darjeeling banana’ or ‘Sikkim banana’, a wild-seeded species native to the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India.
Although not widely cultivated for edible fruit, the species serves as an important genetic reservoir for disease resistance, stress tolerance and climate adaptability.
Titled ‘Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Musa sikkimensis Land Races in Nagaland, India’, the research highlights the urgent need to conserve endangered banana germplasm in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, where increasing anthropogenic pressures and deforestation threaten wild genotypes. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Flora and Fauna.
The research team found that local banana germplasm exhibits strong adaptive potential across varied environmental conditions, reinforcing its value for conservation and breeding initiatives.
According to the university, the findings could contribute to the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant banana varieties and support food security and sustainable agricultural development.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik said the university has developed a Banana Biodiversity Corridor to conserve indigenous banana germplasm at risk of extinction. The corridor functions as a living field gene bank, linking in situ and ex situ conservation while supporting genetic research and climate-resilient breeding.
Dr Animesh Sarkar, Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture, said the research addressed challenges in identifying and documenting local banana genotypes in remote forest regions. He noted that growing farmer preference for hybrid and tissue-culture varieties may accelerate the loss of traditional and wild genotypes.
Researchers also pointed to the ethnobotanical importance of wild bananas among indigenous communities in Nagaland, where various plant parts are used for food, fibre, medicine and cultural practices.
The project forms part of ongoing postgraduate and doctoral research at the university and is supported by collaborations with institutions across the country.
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