1. 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

2. Different pulse growing situations of India
Crop
Total area
(m.ha)
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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Chickpea Rice-fallow (Eastern India) For milling
Early vigour and high biomass
Short duration ( 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

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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Mungbean Kharif season Optimum duration (65-75 days)
Balanced vegetative growth
Clear distinction between vegetative and reproductive phase
Tall plants ( 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

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

20. Early maturity and drought tolerance
Lentil
Optimum duration ( days for central India, 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

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

22. Lentil plant type
Small seeded Large seeded

23. Lodging Resistant plant type
Fieldpea
Semi-dwarf ( 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

24. 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

25. Thanks