The maize fields of Kashmir are not merely cultivation sites; they represent living genetic laboratories containing solutions for future food security
SALIKA RAMAZAN
Maize, originally a tropical crop, has remarkably adapted itself to the temperate climatic conditions of the Kashmir Himalayas over centuries. Today, it supports the livelihood of thousands of farming families, particularly in high-altitude and hilly regions of Kashmir, where agriculture remains the backbone of rural life. Despite its tropical origin, maize cultivated in Kashmir has gradually evolved survival strategies to withstand low-temperature (LT) stress.
The cool climatic conditions of the valley, especially during early sowing seasons, expose maize plants to chilling temperatures that can severely affect germination, seedling growth, and crop productivity. Yet, many local maize landraces and genotypes have naturally adapted themselves to these harsh conditions.
This unique adaptation has drawn the attention of plant scientists and researchers working on climate-resilient agriculture. Our research focus during the past decade has been on understanding and deciphering the hidden traits that enable maize to survive under LT stress while continuing to sustain the livelihoods of farming communities across the region.
The Kashmir Himalayas possess enormous potential as a natural reservoir of LT-tolerant maize germplasm. Local genotypes such as Gurez Local and KG-3 have shown exceptional tolerance to low temperatures and may contain valuable genes responsible for LT stress adaptation. These genetic resources are not only important for Kashmir but may also hold significance for global maize improvement programmes in the era of climate change.
The temperate environment of the Kashmir Himalayas has, in a way, shaped the genome of locally cultivated maize over generations. Through continuous exposure to cool conditions, these maize genotypes have developed unique physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms that help them survive under stress.
Scientific exploration of maize grown across different altitudes and climatic zones of Kashmir can help researchers identify novel genes, proteins, metabolites, and regulatory pathways associated with LT tolerance. Such studies can be carried out at multiple levels, including physiological, biochemical, transcriptomic, proteomic, and even epigenetic levels. Since comparatively limited work has been conducted on LT tolerance in maize within India, Kashmir provides an exceptional natural platform for such advanced research.
The identification and functional validation of LT-responsive genes can open new opportunities for developing climate-resilient crops. These genes can be utilised through conventional breeding approaches as well as modern biotechnological tools, including marker-assisted breeding, genome editing, and transgenic systems.
Importantly, conventional breeding strategies can help retain the valuable LT-tolerant traits of local maize while simultaneously improving crop productivity, thereby avoiding any compromise between stress tolerance and yield.
My scientific journey in understanding LT stress tolerance in maize began during my PhD research at the University of Kashmir under the guidance of Dr Riffat John, whose dedication towards plant stress biology and scientific research greatly inspired my interest in this field.
Currently, as a WISE Post-Doctoral Fellow at Dryland Agriculture Research Station, I am working under the valuable guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Zahoor A. Dar, whose scientific vision, encouragement, and continuous support have further strengthened my research journey and given wings to my aspirations in the field of climate-resilient agriculture.
A significant part of the experimental work related to my postdoctoral research has also been carried out at the CPEPA laboratory, UoK, under the collaborative support of Prof. (Dr.) Manzoor A. Shah.
Together, these academic interactions have motivated my continuing efforts to explore the hidden potential of Kashmir’s maize germplasm for future crop improvement and sustainable agriculture. Over the years, this research journey has strengthened the belief that the Kashmir Himalayas possess invaluable genetic resources that can contribute significantly towards climate-resilient agriculture and future crop improvement programmes.
In the coming years, climate change is expected to increase the frequency of unpredictable temperature fluctuations across agricultural regions. Under such circumstances, the importance of naturally adapted germplasm from regions like Kashmir becomes even more critical.
The maize fields of Kashmir are therefore not merely cultivation sites; they represent living genetic laboratories containing solutions for future food security. There is an urgent need to explore, conserve, and scientifically characterise the diverse maize landraces cultivated across the Kashmir Himalayas before this valuable genetic wealth is lost. Collaborative efforts involving researchers, agricultural institutions, policymakers, and farming communities can help unlock this hidden treasure for the benefit of future generations.
Kashmir’s LT- tolerant maize has the potential to contribute not only towards improving maize productivity in temperate regions but also towards developing future crops capable of surviving changing climatic conditions worldwide.
(The author is a WISE-Post Doc Fellow under the mentorship of Prof. Zahoor A Dar (GPB), DARS Rangreth Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir)