Importance of world high altitude Jumli Marshi rice with cultivation practices

Abstract

Geographically, Jumla is a Himalayan mountainous region located in the Karnali Province of Nepal. It has a beautiful landscape with abundant plant and animal species and is rich in biodiversity. Jumli Marshi has been cultivated since prehistoric times. Marshi has nutritional, religious, and cultural significance. The Chumchaur of Jumla, a place where rice cultivation is carried out at the highest elevation (3050 m) of the world. In the past, the field at the bank of the Tila river was filled with Jumli Marshi rice; however, its cultivation is currently decreasing day by day due to low productivity and blast susceptibility. Farmers prefer to grow improved varieties such as Chandannath-1 and Chandannath-3 rather than Marshi. Jumla's peasant worked very hard to produce this local variety and the role of women in producing this variety is crucial. The cultivation practice for Marshi production is unique compared with other rice production practices in Nepal. Due to it’s richness in fiber (2.01 %), proteins (9.86 %), minerals such as 0.57 mg/100 ​g iron, 66.70 ​mg/100 ​g calcium, and 57.54 ​mg/100 ​g phosphorous, and low carbohydrates (72.74 %), it is regarded as suitable food for diabetes patients. Furthermore, it contains more nutrients than other rice varieties commonly grown in Nepal. Therefore, conservation and cultivation of Jumli Marshi should be promoted to preserve local diversity and contribute to sustainable local food production systems, agro-ecotourism, and crop improvement programs.

Keywords

• Cold tolerant gene
• Jumla
• Jumli Marshi
• Landraces
• Food-production