Identification of photoperiod insensitive sources in the world collection of pigeonpea at ICRISAT

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is cultivated in a multitude of production systems, and in a wide range of climatic conditions throughout the tropics and subtropics. Because of its multiple uses (source of food, fodder and fuel wood; material for thatching and fencing; and for soil improvement and as windbreaks), pigeonpea plays an important role in subsistence agriculture. It is grown as a field crop as well as a backyard crop in more than 80 countries. During 2005, pigeonpea was grown on an estimated 4.6 million ha, with a production of 3.5 million t and an average productivity of 0.9 t ha-1. India has the largest area under pigeonpea (3.3 million ha) followed by Myanmar (0.58 million ha), Kenya (0.15 million ha), Malawi (0.12 million ha), Uganda (0.08 million ha), Tanzania (0.07 million ha), Nepal (0.03 million ha) an