Inception workshop of Network project on Genetic Enhancement of Minor Pulses held at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi on January 15, 2019

Pulses are one of the major sources of proteins for Indian population. Other than, major pulses pigeonpea and chickpea, there are several minor pulses which are being consumed in several parts of the country in the form of whole grain, dals and vegetable. In order to make cultivation of these minor pulses more sustainable, there is a need to increase their production and productivity. This can be achieved through scientific and technological intervention so that the pulses production in the country can be increased. In this perspective, recently, a research network project on ‘Genetic Enhancement of Minor pulses: Characterization, Evaluation, Genetic Enhancement and Generation of Genomic Resources for Accelerated Utilization and Improvement of Minor Pulses’ is sanctioned by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. For the research network, funds of Rs. 32.87 crore are sanctioned for over three years for research on six minor pulses, mung bean (Vigna radiata), black gram (Vigna mungo), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia), rice bean (Vigna umbellata), and horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum). The project aims at characterization of complete germplasm accessions of minor pulses available in National Gene Bank, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi; generation of genomic resources; identification of genomic regions associated with traits of economic importance and genetic enhancement of the minor pulses. The network includes three ICAR institutes (ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi; ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur and ICAR- Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi), two DBT institutes (Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneshwar) and four State Agricultural Universities among others. On 15th January 2019, inception workshop of the research network project was held at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi which was attended by Scientists from all the partner institutes where the work plan and implantation of the project was discussed. The project is expected to accelerate utilization of genetic resources for improvement of the minor pulses using genomic resources/markers paving the way for varietal development, increased production and productivity in the minor pulses.

(Source: Dr Kavita Gupta, OIC PME Cell, ICAR-NBPGR.)