A locally cultivated onion variety grown by the Chiru community in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district has been formally described as a distinct variety of bunching onion. The study, published in Phytotaxa, names it Allium fistulosum var. chirumaroi var. nov. Researchers documented the plant in Bungte Chiru and Nungshai Chiru villages during explorations of Allium species in Manipur between 2017 and 2023.
The research team, comprising Anil Khar, P.S. Mariam Anal, Anjula Pandey, Pavan Kumar Malav, Abhishek Verma, S. Rajkumar and Masochon Zimik from the ICAR‑Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, and the ICAR‑National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, used morphological, cytological and molecular analyses to confirm the onion’s distinctiveness. The new variety typically grows 40–45 cm tall, has a brownish‑yellow outer bulb membrane, smaller globose to subglobose flower clusters and sterile pollen, distinguishing it from the common Welsh or Japanese bunching onion.
For the Chiru people, the onion—called “Chiru Maroi” from the tribe name and the local term for Allium species—is a staple in everyday cooking. Both the bulb and leaves are eaten fresh, and the plant is used as a substitute for onion in stews, salads, sauces, fritters, omelettes, pickles, and as a garnish in traditional dishes such as Iromba and Paknam. It also appears in traditional herbal medicine, combined with other spices to treat boils, swellings, scars and colds.
The recognition could boost the crop’s economic potential, allowing farmers to commercialise the variety, pursue a Geographical Indication tag and apply for awards such as the Genome Saviour Award. However, researchers warn that the onion’s limited geographic distribution and small‑scale production, coupled with a shift toward high‑yielding commercial varieties, may threaten its cultivation and lead to genetic erosion. Further systematic exploration of Allium species across the northeastern Himalayan landscape is recommended to preserve this biodiversity.
