Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding
India is rich in genetic diversity of major pulse crops, but
the productivity and the production of pulse crops remains
low compared to the world and hence, there is a need to
enhance the utilization for increasing the production. Major
pulse species for which genetic diversity is occurring in
India include Vigna,Cajanus, Cicer, Pisum, Lens, Phaseolus
and few minor pulses such as Macrotyloma, Canavalia,
Lathyrus, Vicia, Mucuna, Moghania and Rhynchosia etc.
National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) is
the nodal institute for the management of plant genetic
resources in India. It has assembled ~70,000 accessions of
different pulse crops majoring Cajanus cajan, Cicer
arietinum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Pisum sativum, Vigna
mungo, Vigna radiata, Vigna umbellata, Vigna unguiculata,
Vicea sp. and Lens sp. through collection and introduction
from India and from >70 other countries of the world. Several
pests of quarantine significance have been identified and
salvaged from the exotic germplasm. The ex situ base
collection at NBPGR conserve 64,744 accessions of 20
genera and 61 species of pulses. This germplasm has been
characterized for agro-morphological, quality and
biochemical traits, biotic and abiotic stresses for identifying
trait-specific reference sets and 28 catalogues describing
about 45,000 accessions of 14 pulse crops. A total of 121
accessions of various pulse crops have been registered as
unique/potential donors. Core and mini cores have been
developed in chickpea, pigeonpea, common bean,
mungbean, adzuki bean, cowpea, lentil, moth bean and
pea both nationally and internationally. Wild species of
pulse crops have been utilized for transferring desirable
traits into cultivated species. Application of modern tools
and technologies of molecular biology will accelrate the
process of gene transfer for improvement of pulse crops.
Keywords: Genetic resources, pulses, species, core collection, conservation
Year: 2016
Volume: 76
Issue: 4
Article DOI: 10.5958/0975-6906.2016.00061.4
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
J. C. Rana*, N. K. Gautam, Gayacharan, Mohar Singh info_circle
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