Indian Institute of Pulses Research Research priorities -feasibility of plant ideotypes for ease of operations vis-à-vis yield improvement N. Nadarajan Director Indian Institute of Pulses Research Kanpur 208 024

Different pulse growing situations of India Crop Total area (m.ha) 2010-11 Crop season Major states Chickpea 9.21 Rabi (Oct-Mar) M.P., Rajasthan, Maharashtra, A.P., Karnataka, U.P. Pigeonpea 4.42 Kharif (June-Feb) Maharashtra, Karnataka, U.P., Gujarat, A.P., M.P. Greengram (Mungbean) 3.55 Kharif (July-Sept) Rabi (Oct – Jan) Spring/Summer (Mar-June) Rice fallow (Nov –Mar) Rajasthan, Maharashtra, A.P., Karnataka, Bihar, Gujarat Blackgram (Urdbean) 3.26 Kharif (Jul-Sept) U.P., Maharashtra, A.P., M.P., T.N., Rajasthan Lentil 1.60 U.P., M.P., Bihar, W.B., Rajasthan Fieldpea 0.72 U.P., M.P., Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam

Major yield limiting trait/climatic factors of pulses in contrasting agroclimatic zones Stress Yield limiting constraints Strategies to improve yield North High biomass Temperature extremities Crop duration long, frost damage, flower drop Earliness with high biomass, high input responsiveness, lodging resistance & tolerance to terminal heat and drought stress South Low biomass Terminal drought Crop duration short due to inadequate supporting biomass, harsh post-anthesis period Improved biomass, earliness and tolerance to terminal drought

Major focused research programmes of IIPR Pre-breeding and genetic enhancement for breaking yield barriers Development of pod borer resistant transgenic in chickpea & pigeonpea Development of hybrids in pigeonpea Enhancing resource use efficiency in pulses under rice fallows Functional genomics in chickpea Climate resilience in major pulses Improving heat tolerance in chickpea

Major operations with possibility of mechanization in pulses Preparation of seed bed, raised bed/ridges-furrows Sowing Weeding Plant protection Harvesting Threshing Post harvest management

Scope of mechanization in pulses production Field preparation - Ridge maker Sowing- Tractor operated seed drill Pre-emergence herbicide spray Weeding through power operated weeders Spraying – multi bloom sprayer Harvest – combined harvester

General plant ideotype concept in pulses Determinate plant type Erect and upright plant Average plant height Early vigour, early flowering and synchronous maturity Pod bearing from well above the soil surface More pods/plant and more number of seeds /pod High harvest index Yield stability

Chickpea Rainfed condition Early vigour 50-60 cm plant height with 9-10 secondary branches Tall, erect or semi-erect plant More number of pods per plant Podding from 10th node

Chickpea Irrigated condition High input responsiveness Tall (75-90 cm) and erect habit with broom shaped branching behaviour Synchronous flowering, delayed senescence and determinancy Long fruiting branches and short inter nodes Lodging resistance Pod bearing from 20 cm above the ground

Chickpea Rice-fallow (Eastern India) For milling Early vigour and high biomass Short duration (90-100 days) 50-60 cm plant height Terminal drought tolerance 2-3 primary branches, 9-10 secondary branches For milling Small seeded type Thin seed coat

Chickpea plant type North India: High biomass, more primary branches, Long duration South India: low biomass, less primary branches, short duration

Pigeonpea Long and medium duration Semi-dwarf plant type (1.5 – 1.8 m) for mechanized plant protection Open canopy with determinancy Non-cluster pod bearing Long fruiting branches for high yield Middle and top bearing Spreading type for intercropping in south and central India Compact plant type for intercropping in northern India

Long fruiting branches Non cluster pod bearing Determinate plant type Pigeonpea plant types Long fruiting branches Top pod bearing Non cluster pod bearing Determinate plant type

Mungbean Kharif season Optimum duration (65-75 days) Balanced vegetative growth Clear distinction between vegetative and reproductive phase Tall plants (80-100 cm) with more branches Synchronous maturity More no. of clusters/plant and pods/cluster More number of seeds/pod Shattering and pre-harvest sprouting tolerance

Mungbean Spring/Summer season Shorter duration (50-60 days) Medium plant height (60-80 cm) Determinate growth habit and synchronous maturity High initial growth vigor More number of pods at top of plant and non-shattering habit Longer pods with >10seeds/pod Tolerance to terminal heat stress

Mungbean Rice-fallow (Peninsular India) Prolific root system Narrow leaf Early seedling vigour and high biomass Photo-thermo-insensitivity and synchronous maturity (60-65 days) Shattering resistance Terminal drought tolerance

Urdbean Kharif (North India)/rabi (South India) Optimum maturity (65-75 days) Determinate and bushy plant type Upright plant growth habit Optimum plant height (70-80 cm) High number of clusters/plant and pods/cluster Sympodial bearing Synchronous maturity More number of seeds/pod (7-9) Sympodial branching

Urdbean Summer/spring season Optimum duration ( 60-70 days) Determinate growth habit and synchronous maturity High initial growth vigor Sympodial bearing Tolerance to terminal heat stress Medium plant height (60-75 cm) Longer pods with > 7 seeds/pod Podding above plant canopy

Urdbean Rice-fallow Prolific root system Narrow leaf Early seedling vigour Photo-thermo-insensitivity and synchronous maturity Terminal drought tolerance

Early maturity and drought tolerance Lentil Optimum duration (100-110 days for central India, 120-130 days for north India) Compact type with strong collar region and stiff stem Tall (50-60 cm) and erect plant Lodging resistance Pod bearing from 8th node Prolific root system Pods borne well above the soil surface (>10 cm) Reduced pod dehiscence Large seeds (>3 g/100 seeds) Early maturity and drought tolerance

Lentil Eastern India / Rice fallow (Utera system) High seedling vigour Prolific root system Early maturity (100-110 days) and high biomass Small seed size (2.0-2.5 g/100 seeds) Pods borne well above the soil surface (>15 cm) Terminal heat and drought tolerance

Lentil plant type Small seeded Large seeded

Lodging Resistant plant type Fieldpea Semi-dwarf (80-100 cm) plant type with tendrils Lodging resistance : stiff stem Early flowering with determinate growth habit More number of pods/plant 8-10 seeds per pod Lodging plant type More seeds/pod Lodging Resistant plant type

Efforts at IIPR towards developing ideotypes in pulses Broadening the genetic base for restructuring plant types Wide hybridization garden of major pulses available Wild and exotic lines have been collected from areas of diversity within India and procured from international Institutes Pre-breeding initiated in Vigna, chickpea, lentil and pigeonpea Distant cross progenies are in various stages of selection for identification of suitable pulse ideotypes

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