Guwahati: In a significant boost to climate-resilient agriculture research in the Northeast, scientists at Nagaland University have uncovered rich genetic diversity in Musa sikkimensis — a wild banana species native to the Eastern Himalayas — with strong potential to strengthen future banana breeding programmes.
Commonly known as the “Darjeeling banana” or “Sikkim banana,” Musa sikkimensis is a wild-seeded species valued not for its fruit, but for its genetic strength.
Researchers say it serves as a vital reservoir of traits such as disease resistance, stress tolerance and climate adaptability — characteristics increasingly critical as climate change threatens global banana production.
The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Flora and Fauna, are detailed in the study titled “Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Musa sikkimensis Land Races in Nagaland, India.” The paper was co-authored by research scholars K. R. Singh, S. Walling and A. Sarkar.
Biodiversity under threat
Nagaland lies within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and hosts a wide range of indigenous banana genotypes. However, researchers warn that increasing deforestation, land-use changes and a shift toward hybrid and tissue-culture banana varieties are accelerating the loss of traditional and wild germplasm.
“Our study highlights the urgent need to identify and conserve local banana genotypes growing in remote forest regions,” said Animesh Sarkar, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, Nagaland University. He noted that difficult terrain, limited accessibility and low awareness among farmers posed major challenges during field exploration.
Through collaborations with banana experts across Northeast and South India — including scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute (Kerala) and Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (West Bengal) — the team documented several previously unclassified genotypes.
Climate-resilient agriculture & food security
The study underscores how wild banana genetic resources could support the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant cultivars suited to changing climatic conditions. Beyond fruit production, researchers also point to potential value-added uses such as fibre-based materials and health beverages.
Wild bananas in Nagaland also carry strong ethnobotanical significance. Indigenous communities traditionally use different plant parts for food, fibre, medicine and cultural practices. Reported medicinal uses include treatment for dysentery, ulcers, diabetes and microbial infections.
Biodiversity corridor
Established in response to conservation concerns, Nagaland University has established a Banana Biodiversity Corridor at its Department of Horticulture. The corridor functions as a living field gene bank, integrating in situ and ex situ conservation while supporting genetic, molecular and climate-resilient breeding research.
Vice-Chancellor Jagadish K. Patnaik described the initiative as a “significant scientific breakthrough,” stating that the biodiversity corridor reflects the university’s commitment to safeguarding indigenous germplasm and strengthening nutritional security in a changing climate.
The corridor is expected to support student training, national germplasm security efforts and future crop improvement programmes rooted in local genetic resources.
Sarkar has also built a biotechnology research network on banana biodiversity in Nagaland with funding support from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. Collaborating scientists include K. K. Sabu (Kerala), S. Debnath (West Bengal), Moaakum (Kohima Science College) and S. Banik (Nagaland University).
As climate volatility intensifies across banana-growing regions worldwide, researchers say the conservation of wild species like Musa sikkimensis could prove decisive in protecting one of the world’s most important food crops — placing the Northeast once again at the centre of global agri-biodiversity conversations.
