Dr Animesh Sarkar, with his Research Team in the Dept of Horticulture, Nagaland University.
Lumami, March 3 (MExN): Researchers at Nagaland University have completed an extensive genetic study of Musa sikkimensis, a wild banana species native to the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India, highlighting its importance for climate resilience, food security and sustainable agricultural development.
Commonly known as the ‘Darjeeling banana’ or ‘Sikkim banana’, this wild-seeded species is not widely cultivated for its fruit. However, the study highlights its function as a vital genetic reservoir, carrying essential traits for disease resistance, stress tolerance, and climate adaptability that could prove crucial for future banana improvement programmes.
The research team found that local banana germplasm exhibits strong adaptive potential across diverse environmental conditions, reinforcing its importance for conservation and future breeding initiatives.
Nagaland, located within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, hosts a rich diversity of indigenous banana genotypes. However, increasing anthropogenic activities, environmental pressures and deforestation have placed many wild genotypes at risk of decline and possible extinction, making conservation research critical.
The research titled ‘Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Musa sikkimensis Land Races in Nagaland, India’ underscores the urgent need to conserve endangered banana germplasm in one of the world’s richest biodiversity regions.
The findings were published in Flora and Fauna, a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes research on plant and animal biology, biodiversity, ecology, and environmental conservation. The paper was co-authored by NU Research Scholars KR Singh, Dr S Walling and Dr A Sarkar.
Highlighting the need for such research to conserve the rich biodiversity of the North East, Prof Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor, NU, said, “I am pleased to announce a significant scientific breakthrough achieved by researchers of Nagaland University, who have successfully developed a biodiversity corridor to conserve the indigenous banana germplasm which was facing the risk of extinction.”
The study builds on a series of postgraduate and doctoral research projects conducted under the supervision of Dr A Sarkar, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, NU, focusing on banana biodiversity, germplasm mapping, characterisation of wild species and evaluation of genetic resources in the state.
Highlighting the role of this research in addressing conservation challenges and safeguarding local germplasm, Dr Animesh Sarkar, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, NU, said, “We aimed to address challenges in identifying and conserving local banana genotypes growing in remote forest regions of Nagaland. Through collaboration with banana experts from North East and South India, our research team successfully identified and documented several previously unclassified genotypes.”
Dr Sarkar added, “Field exploration presented significant challenges, including difficult terrain, limited accessibility to remote forest areas and low awareness among farmers regarding the importance of germplasm conservation. Our study also highlights a growing shift among farmers toward hybrid and tissue-culture banana varieties, which may accelerate the loss of traditional and wild genotypes.”
The findings demonstrate the potential of wild banana genetic resources to contribute to climate-resilient agriculture, food security and socio-economic development. Researchers noted that wild banana species could support the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties and new value-added products such as fibre-based materials and health beverages.
The study also highlights the significant ethnobotanical value of wild bananas among indigenous communities in Nagaland. Different plant parts are traditionally used for food, fibre, medicine and cultural practices, with reported medicinal properties including treatment for dysentery, ulcers, diabetes and microbial infections.
To strengthen conservation efforts, NU has established a Banana Biodiversity Corridor at its Department of Horticulture. The corridor functions as a living field gene bank, linking in situ and ex situ conservation approaches while supporting genetic and molecular research, climate-resilient breeding programmes, student training and national germplasm security initiatives. The initiative aims to protect fragmented banana diversity, strengthen local value chains and support future agricultural development.
Dr Sarkar has also established a network for exploration of banana biodiversity and its biotechnological research in Nagaland, funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. The collaborating Institutes include Dr KK Sabu, Principal Scientist, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, Kerala, Dr S Debnath, Assistant Professor, AICRP on Fruits, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, Dr Moaakum, Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Kohima Science College, Prof S Banik, Department of Plant Pathology, NU.
