Genetic resources of pulse crops - present status and future plans

Plant genetic resources (PGR) are essential for a sound and successful crop improvement programme and insurance against nature's vagaries. India has been considered a p~imary centre of diversity for urdbean, mothbean and pige~pea; a secondary centre of diversity for cowpea, and regional (Asiatic) centre of diversity for crops like chickpea and mungbean. Several exploration missions have been undertaken for collection of available indigenous diversity in different legume crops especially in chickpea, pigeon pea, urdbean, mungbean, cowpea, peas, lentil, lathyrus, mothbean, horsegram and cowpea. About 42,425 accessions representing 26 pulse crops are stored at -20°C in long-term repository of. National Gene Bank of NBPGR. Evaluation of germplasm has led to the release of more than 60% of total pulse varieties as direct selection from the germplasm in India. PGRs are also being used in hybridization programmes for genetic upgradation of cultivars as well as creation of new varieties. So far, 434 varieties have been developed in different pulse crops following this approach. However, due to rapid agro-ecological changes, many species, old and primitive cultivars, land raceS and their wild relatives are being eroded. Hence, concerted and systematic efforts for collection, conservation, evaluation, and utilization of germpJasm need to be undertaken