Question

What do you mean by a cultivated variety of plants including trees that was developed, grown and exchanged informally among farmers?

• A. Folk variety
• B. Local cultivar
• C. Land Race
• D. Commercial Variety

Hint:

Think of Land Race as "Heritage Seeds." They are the natural biodiversity found in agriculture, unlike modern "hybrid" or "high-yielding" commercial varieties.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question identifies a term used for plant varieties that have evolved through a long process of informal selection and exchange by farmers in a specific geographic area, adapted to local conditions and traditional uses.
Detailed Explanation:

• Land Race: A landrace is a dynamic population of a cultivated plant that has historical origin, distinct identity and lacks formal crop improvement. It is genetically diverse and stable in its own way. It is traditionally grown by farmers and passed down through generations. They are often highly resilient to local pests, diseases, and climate fluctuations.

• Characteristics: Landraces are the raw materials for modern plant breeding. They are "informally" developed because they haven't been created in a lab or a research institute but in the farmers' fields over centuries.

• Comparison with other options:
- Folk variety: A synonymous term often used interchangeably with landrace, but "Land Race" is the preferred technical term in genetics and seed laws.
- Local cultivar: A cultivar is a variety that has been deliberately selected and has a set of uniform characteristics. While it can be "local," it doesn't necessarily imply the informal evolutionary history of a landrace.
- Commercial Variety: A variety developed by formal breeding institutions or private companies for mass sale, usually high-yielding but requiring high inputs.

Step 2: Final Answer:
The variety developed and exchanged informally by farmers is known as a Land Race.