

About 90% of the land in southern China is covered with mountains, which lack vegetative cover, leading to soil erosion and frequent landslides. Each year tons of topsoil and valuable nutrients are lost and such areas have become unfit for agriculture. This problem has bothered the Chinese Government for years, but with the introduction of two ICRISAT crops, pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] and groundnut, (aka peanuts) [Arachis hypogaea (L.)], new signs of prosperity from agricultural lands are greatly evident in China.