An update provide by Dr Rajeev K Varshney on the objectives - Identification and enhancing adoption of superior lines or varieties in chickpea and pigeonpea, Targeted and accelerated breeding for developing drought tolerant chickpea cultivars, Mapping and validation of QTLs for abiotic and biotic stresses and identification of novel lines with enhanced diversity in chickpea, Targeted and accelerated breeding for developing FW and SMD resistant pigeonpea cultivars, Novel superior pigeonpea lines with enhanced genetic diversity and markers for early maturity, yield attributing traits, protein content and phytophthora blight

1. Delivering more produce and income
to farmers through enhancing genetic
gains for chickpea and pigeonpea
Project Coordinators:
Rajeev K Varshney, ICRISAT
&
NP Singh, IIPR
(2017-2020 with NCE till March 2021)

2. ICRISAT, Patancheru
Rajeev K Varshney
Rachit Saxena
Mahendar Thudi
Pooran Gaur
Anupama Hingane
Manish Roorkiwal
Rajeev Gupta
Abhishek Rathore
Mamta Sharma
Srinivasan Samineni
Shivali Sharma
RAKCA, Sehore
Ashok Tikle
Mohammad Yasin
ICAR- IIPR, Kanpur
N P Singh
IP Singh
GP Dixit
Yogesh Tiwari
Abhishek Bohra
KR Soren
MPKV, Rahuri
Pawan Kulwal
NS Kute
LB Mhase
PJTSAU, ARS - Tandur
Chourat Sudhakar
SNCVL Pushpavalli
T Rajeswar Reddy
ANGRAU, RARS – Nandyal
Veera Jayalakshmi
S Khayum Ahammad
N Kamakshi
UAS-Raichur, ARS - Kalaburagi
Muniswamy Sonnappa
Sharanabasappa Yeri
Laxuman C
VNMKV, ARS- Badnapur
DK Patil
ANGRAU, RARS- Lam Farm
S Rajamani
Project team
Budget: INR 15.78 crores
~ $ 2.9 Million

3. Target states and partners
Pigeonpea
Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka
Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka
Chickpea
RARS-N

4. Objectives
Objective 1: Identification and enhancing adoption of superior lines or varieties
in chickpea and pigeonpea
Objective 2: Targeted and accelerated breeding for developing drought tolerant
chickpea cultivars
Objective 3: Mapping and validation of QTLs for abiotic and biotic stresses and
identification of novel lines with enhanced diversity in chickpea
Objective 4: Targeted and accelerated breeding for developing FW and SMD
resistant pigeonpea cultivars
Objective 5: Novel superior pigeonpea lines with enhanced genetic diversity and
markers for early maturity, yield attributing traits, protein content and
phytophthora blight
Objective 6: Capacity building of NARS partners

5. 1. Outreach of 16 improved varieties/hybrids each of two leading pulse crops (chickpea and
pigeonpea) to 1,821 farmers from 158 villages of 25 districts in six states through FPVS trials
2. Release of new varieties through genomics and molecular breeding innovations:
a) Chickpea: (i) Pusa Chickpea 10216 for Central Zone of India (ICAR- IARI);
(ii) MABC-WR-SA-1 for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra
(UAS- Raichur)
c) Pigeonpea: GRG-152 (Bheema) for Central Zone of India (UAS- Raichur)
3. Improved lines under varietal release pipeline:
a) Chickpea: Two lines in AVT2: BGM 10218 and BG 4005;
five lines in AVT1: IPC (L4-25), IPC (L22-33-2) and IPC (L4-14); BGM 10220;
NBeG 506
b) Pigeonpea: Pre-released: BDN 2013-41;
One line in AVT2: IPA 15-06;
One line in AVT1: IPA 15-03;
Four lines in IVT: IPAE 15-02, IPAE 15-08, IBTDRG8, IBTDRG10
40%delivery
Progress summary

6. Progress summary
40%delivery
4. A set of ~200 improved lines (100 each in chickpea and pigeonpea) evaluated for higher yield
and desirable traits in multi-location trials in different states
5. Molecular breeding deployed for enhancing drought tolerance, fusarium wilt and dry root rot
resistance in elite lines of chickpea and fusarium wilt and sterility mosaic disease resistance in
pigeonpea
6. Genetic maps and marker trait associations established through high-density
genotypingHigh density genotyping and genetic maps
7. Several Farmers fairs, Demonstration, Monitoring and Field visits to reach 1821 farmers in
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh
8. Knowledge dissemination and promotion of DAC projects activities through pumphlets,
brouchures, newspapers, channels in local languages in different states.
9. Publications: >18 publications in the leading research journals.

7. Thank You
Shri. Shobhana Patnayak
Shri. Sanjay Agarwal
Shri. V. Rajinder
Shri S.K. Malhotra
Shri. S.S. Tomar
NFSM TEAM