Seed Storage Practices and Cultivation Techniques: A Survey in Gajuri Rural Municipality, Nepal

Abstract

The production, selection, and storage of the seeds used for cultivation in Nepal are done in two ways: traditional and modern. Conventional ways of storing and reusing seeds depend on indigenous and traditional techniques, whereas modern techniques depend on the different agencies performing scientific agricultural breeding and storage techniques. The study aimed to determine the major varieties and sources of seed used for cultivation, to what extent the cultivated varieties are stored, and whether the stored seeds are cultivated. The study surveyed 171 households by systematic random sampling in the Jarebagaiccha and Milanatar villages of ward 6 in the Gajuri Rural Municipality, Nepal. The study was constructed utilising a literature review and in-depth interviews. The researcher used SPSS version 26 for analysing and illustrating the findings of the 11 cultivated crops, i.e., Rice, Maize, Millet, Wheat, Mustard, Potato, Beans, Black lentil, Cowpea, Soybean, and Rice beans. The findings determined that the majority of the farmers cultivated local varieties of crops by using informal sources of seed and stored the seeds in their own homes. The study further highlighted that only four local varieties (soybean, cowpea, potato, mustard) were acquired from agro-vets by a minority of the farmers. The hybrid varieties that were cultivated had formal sources, and none of the hybrid varieties were stored. The farmers stored nine local varieties using the traditional method of cultivation.