The Hindu Business Line : Hybrid pigeon pea could trigger revolution in pulses

New variety
It is ideally suited for growing in drylands and water scarce regions.
Highly resistant to two major diseases, fusarium wilt and sterility mosaic.
The Philippines, Myanmar and China have recognised this hybrid technology, and are working on developing hybrids in their countries.

Hyderabad April 20 A new hybrid pigeon pea technology, the first in the world has been developed at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (Icrisat) in Pattancheru, in Andhra Pradesh.

The new hybrid named ICPH 2671 will yield 40 to 50 per cent more yield (that is 3-4 tonnes per hectare) than other commercial varieties and offers a hope of pulse revolution in India and other developing countries.

It is ideally suited for growing in drylands and water scarce regions and is highly resistant to two major diseases - fusarium wilt and sterility mosaic - prevalent in all the major pigeonpea growing areas.

The Icrisat's hybrid technology is likely to increase the agricultural productivity and farmers' income in drylands. In spite of many agricultural research institutions releasing several varieties in the past five decades, the productivity of red gram has remained low, and this technology promises to break this barrier.

According to Dr William Dar, Director General of Icrisat, the new hybrid pigeon pea will serve as the platform for the tremendous growth of pulse production in India and other developing countries in Asia and Africa. "This is a global first and we are proud to catalyse and trigger this historic change," he said.

Icrisat partnered with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for developing this technology. Icrisat is now working with the private and public sector seed companies to commercialise the crop so that the seeds will start reaching the farmers in the next couple of years.

Icrisat scientists under the leadership of Dr K.B. Saxena, began this mission in 1974 and after 30 years of intensive research have succeeded in developing this hybrid variety using the cytoplasm (cell fluid outside the nucleus) of a wild relative (Cajanus cajanifolius) of red gram, collected from the forests of Madhya Pradesh.

Agricultural scientists from the Philippines, Myanmar and China have recognised this hybrid technology, and are working on developing hybrids in their countries.

In the past two years Icrisat has tested more than 300 experimental hybrids and among these, ICPH 2671 was found the most outstanding.

Several private seed industriy sectors are looking forward to start launching the seeds from 2008.

M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai will start a project to train village women to produce the hybrid pigeon pea themselves from the Icrisat seeds. The main aim is to sell these hybrid cost at a affordable price to farmers all over the region.

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