Germplasm collection from Dorokha Dungkha, Samtse Dzongkhag on 5/02/14 to 13/02/14

Team members:

1 Mrs. Asta Maya Tamang, Plant Genetic Resources Section, (PGR), National Biodiversity Centre, (NBC)

2 Mr. Wang Tshering, PGR, NBC.

Background of the Samtse Dzongkhag

Samtse Dzongkhag is located in southern Bhutan with an area of approximately 1,582 sq kms and ranges from 600-3,800 meters in altitude. It shares an international borders with the Indian states of Sikkim to the west and Bengal to the south, and internal borders with Haa and Chukha Districts respectively. The population of Samtse is divided into two main ethnic groups, the Lhotshampas and the Doyas. Marginal groups of Bumthaps, Tshanglas, Ngalongs, Khengpas and Kurtoeps have started inhabiting the region in recent years.

Oranges, cardamom, ginger and areca nuts are some of the main cash crops grown in the region. These cash crops are exported to the nearby Indian state of West Bengal and even to Bangladesh. There are two Dungkhag Office administrations viz Sibsoo and Dorokha Dungkhags constitute of fifteen gewogs. Samtse is also a religiously diverse district and both Hinduism and Buddhism are widely practiced in the Dzongkhag. Visitors may generally find temples belonging to both religions all over beautifully forested district. The main festivals celebrated in the region include Losar (New Year), Thrue and Lomba by the Buddhists and Diwali and Dussehra by the Hindus.

 Though Agriculture remains the main form of employment, there are also agricultural and construction based industries in Samtse. Minerals like Dolomite and Quartzite are mined at Pugli, providing raw materials for two major cement plants. Some of the agricultural industries in the area are Samtse’s Fruit and Food Products Factory and the Cardboard Factory. One essential facets of the Dzongkhag is the Samtse College of Education. It was started in 1968 and has provided the country with countless valuable teachers. This is why this college is widely considered to be one of Bhutan’s premier educational institutions. Samtse has rich diversity of flora and fauna with its hot and humid climate. Local elephants are one of the more exotic animals found in this district, some of which have been domesticated.

Background of Dorokha Dungkhag.

Dorokhag Dungkhag is considered as one of the remotest places in Samtse Dzongkhag in the past with two days walking distance from Samtse. Now with road connection it’s just a matter of two hours travelling from Samtse. Dungkhag is located with an altitude of 1125 masl with geo-coordinates of 26 degree, 59’45.43’’N and 89 degree, 12’ 41.21’’E respectively. It has four gewogs including Dorokha geog beside Dumtoe, Denchukha and Tading geog. Meanwhile, it is characterize with dry and humid subtropical zone to temperate embedded with tropical forest up to cool broad leave forest.

Farmers grow all kinds of cereals and horticultural crops but cardamom remains one of the popular cash crops as main source of income generation

Collection made from Dorokha Dungkhag.

Collection from Dumtoe geog.

SL No	Crop	Varieties with localname	Amount	Remark
1	Maize	Payeli Makai	2kgs
2	Bean	Achamay Bori	2 kg
3	Maize	Chepti Makai	2kg
4	Bean	Hadray Bori	2kg
5	Perilla spp	Kalo selum	2kg
6	Millet	Kodo	2kg
7	Soya bean	Badmus	2kg
8	Rice Bean	Mashyam	2kg
9	Rice Bean		2 kg
10	Millet	Kalo Kodo	2 kg
11	Millet	Paiheli Kodo	2kg
12	Bitter Buckwheat	Tithay Fapar	2kg
13	Millet	Seto Kodo	2 kg
14	Bean	Bhuli Bori	2kg
15	Sweet Buckwheat	Methay faphar	2kg
16	Bean	Paylo Bori	2kg
17	Paddy	Masino Dhan	2kg
18	Bean	Hari Bori	2kg
19	Cassava	Simal	2kg
	Collection from Denchukha geog
20	Chayote	Hariyo Iscus	2kg
21	Millet	Kaolo Kodo	2kg
22	Millet	Nang Katawa	2kg
23	Millet	Phurkay Kodo	2kg
24	Chayote	Sheto Iscus	2 kg
25	Chayote	Kalo Iscus	2 kg
26	Yam	Ghur Tarul	2kg
27	Bitter Buckwhaeat	Lamchey faphar	2kg
28	Paddy	Kalo Dhan or Timburay Dhan	2kg
29	Paddy	Tawli	2kg
30	Bean	Haray Bori	2kg
31	Bean	Gew Bori	2kg
32	Chilli	Zeray Khorsani	kg
	Collection from Dorokha geog
33	Finger millet	Nangkatuwa Kodo	2kg
34	Sponge gourd	Ghirawla	2kg
35	Cucumber	Chillay Kakra (Hariyo)	2kg
36	Cucumber	Chillay Kakra ( seto)	2kg
37	Bean	Hiwdy Sibi	2kg
38	Ash gourd	Kubindo	2kg
39	Pumpkin	Madusat Pharsy	2kg
40	Pumpkin	Paray Pharsy	2kg
	Collection from Tading geog
41	Little millet	Sama kodo	2kg
42	Millet	Rato Kodo	2kg
43	Chilli	Dollay Khorsani	2kg
44	Lentil	Paily Dhal	2kg
45	Foxtail Millet	Kaguinai Sheto	2kg
46		Changsur	2kg
47	Pumpkin	Madalay Pharshy	2kg
48		Hazary	2kg
49	Pumpkin	Jyathay Pharsy	2kg
50	Lady finger	Bhindi	2kg
51	Bean	Tonay Bori	2kg
52	Ash gourd	Kubindo	2kg
53	Bean	Katikay Bori	2kg
54	Bean	Hewday Sibi( Hariyo Sano)	2kg
55	Bean	Hewday Shibi (Hariyo lhamo)	2kg
56	Bean	Sanu turkrukay	2kg
57	Paddy	Khamtoe	2kg
58	Ginger	Sanu Aduwa	2kg
59	Tomato	Bhuli Tomato	2kg
60	Chayote	Lhamo Iscus	2kg
61	Chilli	Dollay Iscus	2kg
62	Chayote	Hariyo Iscus	2kg
63	Chayote	Majawlay Iscus	2kg
64	Chayote	Sani Iscus	2kg
65	Paddy		2kg
66		Sarsew tari	2kg
67		Banmara Phusray	2kg
68	Bean	Hariyo Sibi	2kg
69	Bean	Thrulo Tukrukey Karela	2kg
70	Sag	Rayo Sag	2kg
71	Lentil	Rahari dal	2kg
72	Bean	Hiwday Sibi Seto.	2kg

 Conclusions

As we had captured diverse crops germplasm from four gewogs and it will be deposited in our crop gene bank once all the processing is finished with the passage of time. The tour package in overall was very successful and timely as many infrastructure developmental activities were going on in geog which is deciding factors of germplasm extinction. As we did it our collection before arrival of modern amenities at right time.