Musa cylindrica

Between 1994 and 2014, 77.94 km² (34%) of forest cover has been lost in the Elaka Narpuh Community-controlled forests, while 11.48 km² (7%) of forest cover has been lost in the Narpuh Forest Reserve. Within the Narpuh Forest Reserve, the Forest Department has not permitted mining and industrial activities but has allowed for agricultural activities undertaken by forest-dependent communities. Between 1994 and 2003 shifting jhum cultivation represented the predominant form of agriculture and this allowed the re-growth of secondary forest. However, between 2003 and 2014, cultivation of permanent cash crops, chiefly Areca catechu, became increasingly apparent: this form of agriculture often does not allow for the recovery of forest. In the Elaka Narpuh Community-Controlled forests, the impact of the move towards cash crop agriculture has been even greater, and habitat loss is aggravated further by extensive limestone mining, and industrial and infrastructure expansion (Goswami et al. 2016). As the known distribution for Musa cylindrica is likely to be highly restricted, the impact of such threats is amplified.

The genus Musa is listed in Annex I of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) which aims to guarantee sustainable agriculture and food security through the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use (FAO 2009). Given the habitat description for the species, and the topography of the area surrounding Umkiang, it is inferred that at least some of its distribution falls within the Narpuh Reserve Forest (Joe et al. 2014, Goswami et al. 2016, Forest and Environment Department 2019). It is not known to be conserved ex situ (BGCI 2019, Genesys Global Portal on Plant Genetic Resources 2019). As such, gathering of wild germplasm material for ex situ conservation from extant wild plants is a conservation priority.