This document outlines a vision for Phase II of a pigeonpea project with 6 main objectives: 1) Consolidation of Phase I achievements, 2) Expansion of hybrid technology, 3) Breeding pure-line varieties, 4) Breeding for special traits, 5) Encountering climate change, and 6) Justification for including pigeonpea in TL I Phase II. Key activities proposed include expanding the area under farmer preferred varieties and hybrids, developing early maturing and drought tolerant varieties, and building genomic resources and capacity for pigeonpea breeding.

1. Vision for Phase II
Pigeonpea

2. 1. Consolida5on of Phase I achievements
2. Expansion of hybrid technology
3. Breeding Pure‐line varie5es
4. Breeding for special traits
5. Encountering climate change
6. Jus5fica5on for inclusion of PP in TL I

3. 1.Consolida5on of Phase I
achievements
• Increase area of farmer preferred
variety in exis5ng loca5ons
• Iden5fy farmer‐preferred variety in
new loca5ons
• Seed produc5on & distribu5on –(linked
to Objec.ve 8.5)
• Con5nue other project ac5vi5es
(eg training, field days etc.)

4. Project Loca+ons
• Asia
– Andhra Pradesh (same districts, area increase)
– Maharashtra (Akola, Washim, addi5onal district
Parbhani)
– UWrakhand (Almora, low and mid hills)
• ESA
– Malawi (same districts)
– Tanzania (same districts)
– Uganda (new country, Lango district)

5. 2. Expansion of Hybrid Technology
a) Advantages of Hybrid
‐ High yield in farmer’s field
‐ Moe efficient in intercropping systems
‐ 30‐50% seed saving
‐ Cost of hybrid seed @ US $ 2‐3 Kg‐1
‐ Greater resilience against abio5c stress
‐ Greater adapta5on

6. Hybrids (contd)
b) Achievements +ll date
• Two hybrids are at pre‐release stage
• New hybrids show high poten+al.
• Seed technology is available
• Six CMS systems are available
• Considerable literature published
• Links with seed companies established

7. Hybrids (contd.)
Proposed Plan (High Priority)
• Expand area under hybrids
• Large‐scale seed produc+on
• Strengthen links with seed sector
• Develop molecular kits for quality
tes+ng of hybrids

8. Hybrids (contd.)
Other ac+vi+es
• Diversify hybrid parents for farmer
preferred traits
• Hybrids for different regions
• Develop new sources of CMS
• Training

9. 3.Breeding HY Pure‐line Cul+vars
Breeding Methodology
 Exploit natural variability in
germplasm (ESA)
 Inter‐variety crosses (ESA & Pat.)
 Exploit inter‐specific crosses
(Patancheru)
 Introgression among African and
Asian germplasm (ESA & Pat.)

10. Breeding Pure‐ line Varie+es
• Development of new varie+es for tradi+onal
areas
• Develop early varie+es to escape drought
• Develop new cul+vars with FP traits
• Develop of dual purpose varie+es (linkages
with ILRI)

11. 4.Breeding for Special Traits
• Develop super‐early lines to
‐ diversify the cropping systems
‐ extend pp cul+va+on to new niches
• Incorporate selfing trait in elite
lines
• Low and mid hills of Himalayan range in India
• Development of dual purpose
varie+es (linkages with ILRI)

12. 5.Encountering Climate Change
Likely scenario:
‐ Shortage of ground water
‐ Unpredictable rains
‐ Increased drought incidences
‐ Water‐ logging
‐ New diseases and insects
‐ Increased temperature

13. Climate Change (contd)
Areas of Interven+on:
• New races of pathogen &
insects
‐ Changed dynamics of pests
(Minor disease / insect becomes
major)
‐ Drought (early season)
‐ Water‐ logging(early season)
‐ High temperature (ESA)

14. Capacity Enhancement
• Two Ph.D. students from ESA (1 molecular
breeding, 1 tradi5onal breeding)
• Two MSc‐ drought and water‐logging one
each)
• Training in hybrid breeding, crop protec5on

15. 6. Why Pigeonpea Should be Included in TL I,
Phase II
Jus+fica+ons
1.
So far very liale informa+on is available on
genomics in pigeonpea
2.
Being an important protein source for over 1
billion people, can be benefited with the high
science of genomics.
3.
Thanks to ICRISAT biotechnology leadership for
ini+a+ng pigeonpea genomics research and
posi+ve results have started coming

16. Jus+fica+ons for pp genomics (contd.)
4. Global pigeonpea yields have stabilized for over
60‐years @ 600‐700 kg ha‐1 and hybrids have
shown promise. There is urgency for research on
‐ quality control
‐ iden+fica+on of fer+lity restora+on gene. Use of
genomics will enhance the process
5. Molecular characterization of CMS lines
and elite genetic materials