Gene pool to preserve traditional plants announced in TN Agriculture Budget
The Hindu
Farmers will be motivated to cultivate traditional varieties of vegetables, and seeds will be produced for this at the State’s horticultural farms, Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam said
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam on Saturday announced the creation of a gene pool of traditional varieties of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants once cultivated in Tamil Nadu, but now extinct.
Recalling naturalist Nammazhwar's words that the "seed is the weapon" the Minister said a gene pool would be established to preserve traditional varieties of horticultural crops at the State's horticulture farms.
The Minister said farmers will be motivated to cultivate traditional varieties such as Kannadi Kathari (brinjal), Aandarkulam kathari, Kottampatti kathari, Vari kathari, Vasudevanallur kathari, Pallapatti Then murungai (drumstick) Karumpu murungai, kuzhi thakkali, kodi thakkali, Annaji thakkali, Anaikomban and Sivappu vendai (ladies finger).
The seeds will be produced at the State's horticultural farms and distributed to farmers.