Accomplishments and challenges of pigeonpea breeding research in India
Abstract
igeonpea [ Cajanus cajan (L. ) Millsp. ] is a prot einrich pulse crop which can grow well under soil moist ure limit ed environment s. The
crop can play a signif icant role in meet ing t he challenges of global f ood securit y under t he looming t hreat s of climat e change, soil
degradat ion and rising product ion cost s. This would be possible t hrough f ast t rack breeding of new cult ivars wit h high and st able
perf ormances. This paper reviews t he achievement s of pigeonpea breeding research and suggest s t he growt h t raject ory f or f ut ure
programmes relat ed t o breeding of high yielding pure line and hybrid cult ivars. I n t he past f ew decades, t hree pigeonpea breeding
milest ones have made t heir mark. These include development of (i) medium mat uring disease resist ant pigeonpea cult ivars f or great er
yield and st abilit y, (ii) high yielding early mat uring pigeonpea cult ivars f or area expansion involving new product ion niches, and (iii) a
t rend set t ing hybrid breeding t echnology f or breaking t he decadesold low yield plat eau. These innovat ions are showing t heir posit ive
impact on pigeonpea product ion and product ivit y and hold promise f or achieving nut rit ional securit y of masses in t he count ry
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