ICRISAT scientists decode Pigeon Pea Genome

HYDERABAD: After a five-year long extensive research the genome of the legume crop pigeon pea (commonly known as Toor/Arhar dal or Kandi pappu) was decoded by a team of scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) at Patancheru near here.The finding is of particular importance due to the drought-tolerant nature of pigeon pea which can flourish in hard climatic conditions.“With the help of our results we can identify which genes make the crop drought-tolerant, following which other legume crops can be developed to harbour this characteristic,” says Dr.Varshney, who works for Applied Genomics research group at Icrisat.The genotype of pigeon pea used is ICPL 87119, popularly known as Asha, which is a widely cultivated Indian variety.The implications of unravelling the sequence of 48,680 genes will aid in improving the yield of the cash crop as well as help in selecting natural variants resistant to diseases and water- logging. Surprisingly, India is the largest producer of the legume.“The crop is a major source of protein for the largely vegetarian population as well as those who cannot afford to consume animal proteins. However, the escalating price of pulses has pushed it out of the reach of the common man.We can enhance the yield of the pigeon pea in the country by more than two and half times,” said Dr.Varshney.Presently, the yield stands at 850 kilograms per hectare in Asia and the potential yield being targeted is close to 2,500 kilograms per hectare. The scientist also indicated that the breeding time of the improved crop varieties can be halved from the average time of 10 years required to raise a new breed.