The Hindu Business Line : New pigeonpea, chickpea varieties for crop rotation

TO promote crop diversification in the 10.5 million hectaresarea in the Indo-Gangetic plain under rice-wheat cultivation, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) has developed extra-short duration pigeonpea (arhar) and chickpea (chana) varieties that would help better crop rotation and boost overall productivity.

"We believe that there is scope for growing legumes in at least 2-3 million hectares of the current irrigated rice-wheat cultivation area, which will enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation and also increase yield for the rice and wheat crops," said Dr William Dar, Icrisat Director-General.

Dr Dar said as part of its efforts to introduce legumes in the cereal-fatigued lands of the country, Icrisat was promoting rotation of rice and pigeonpea in the rainy season and wheat and chickpea in the post-rainy season.

Farmers have obtained a higher production of up to one additionalmillion tonnes per hectare by growing Icrisat's extra short duration pigeonpea ICPL 88039 that requires 120-130 days.

Chickpea varieties of KAK-2 and ICCV-2 require about 90-100 days. "ICCV-2 clocks about 70 days in South India," said an Icrisat official.

Pointing out that the impact of such a move could be huge, Dr Mangala Rai, DG, ICAR, said India accounts for 92 per cent of worldwide pigeonpea production and 90 per cent of the area used for cultivating pigeonpea.

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