Agricultural Heritage Conservation: Over 100 Indigenous Aromatic Rice Varieties Preserved in Odisha

Spearheaded by Dr. Satyaranjan Das, former researcher at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), the state's Rice Research Station has successfully conserved over 100 traditional aromatic rice varieties. These medium-duration crops (maturing in 120-125 days) encompass historically significant variants such as Kalajira from Bolangir, Yubaraj from Sambalpur, and Sargadhuli from Khordha. Preserving these climate-resilient seeds ensures the protection of Odisha's agricultural biodiversity and presents substantial opportunities for geographically tagged, high-yield organic farming.