Sep 2011
IMOD
Innovate Grow Prosper
Inclusive Market Oriented Development
Research Program
Grain Legumes
Legumes to combat poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation
Genetic resources and novel breeding methods/tools for
improved efficiency of crop improvement
Research areas
• Evaluate legume mini core collections and reference sets for important stresses and
traits
• Develop novel breeding tools and methods to improve efficiency of breeding
• Develop phenotyping platforms
• Whole genome sequencing and genotype by sequencing for genome wide selection
• Identify marker traits association.
Major outputs
• Genetic resources evaluated and documented for nutritional and adaptation traits
• Novel and efficient breeding methods/tools for cultivar development
• Novel genes incorporated through wide hybridization/genetic engineering to broaden
the genetic base of grain legumes.
Crop and pest management practices for sustainable legume
production
Research areas
• Develop management practices for enhanced nutrient and water use
• Improve biological nitrogen fixation
• Develop integrated management of insect pests, diseases and weeds.
Productive and nutritious legume cultivars for resilient
cropping systems
Research areas
• Breeding cultivars with high yield potential and greater yield stability
• Breeding cultivars with enhanced nutritional and commercial values and improved
food safety.
Grain legume value chains
Research areas
• Characterize grain legume value chains
• Develop value addition opportunities for the poor, especially women
• Develop cost saving and drudgery - reducing technologies for legumes.
Major outputs
• Grain legume value chains for the poor, especially women, enhanced
• Institutional innovations to engage poor farmers with input and product markets
identified and piloted
• Post-harvest technologies/practices and value-added products benefiting women
identified and promoted
• Drudgery and cost-saving small-scale machinery for grain legume processing developed.
Efficient legume seed production and delivery systems
Research areas
• Develop models for efficient seed production and delivery systems for smallholder
legume farmers
• Facilitate integration of formal and informal legume seed systems
• Support development of pro-legume seed policies.
Major outputs
• Decentralized seed systems enhanced through systematic diagnosis and
implementation of appropriate models
• Capacity of public and private sector in legume seed systems strengthened
• Enabling seed policies for legume seed systems based on thorough analysis of
current arrangements
• Framework for national seed security for vulnerable regions and households (poor and
women) developed.
Major outputs
• Strategies to optimize Biological Nitrogen
Fixation by legumes developed and
promoted
• Methods to increase legume productivity
and profitability through increased
resource use efficiency developed, tested
and promoted
• Tools and protocols for more effective insect
pest, disease and weed management
developed, tested and promoted
• Strategies for increasing legume
production in response to climate change
identified and tested.
Major outputs
• High yielding cultivars
for different production
systems developed
• High yielding cultivars
with enhanced resistance/
tolerance to key biotic
and abiotic stresses,
and resilience to climate
change developed
• Improved germplasm
better targeted to
smallholder niches
developed
• Elite lines/cultivars with
enhanced nutritional
composition and end-user
preferred traits developed
• Elite lines/cultivars with
enhanced nutrient use
efficiency, high nitrogen
fixation developed.