Evaluation of New Super-early Pigeonpea Lines for Agronomic Performance and Adaptation in India

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] is a multi-purpose legume crop used mainly for human consumption in the form of processed split dry peas (dal) or fresh as a vegetable. In addition to food, pigeonpea can also be used for a number of other purposes (ie, feed, fodder, fuel, fertilizer). India is the number one producer and consumer of pigeonpea, but still needs to import around 500,000 tons per year to satisfy the internal demand. Increasing the area under pigeonpea cultivation could contribute to increased production, but this would only be possible by expanding pigeonpea cultivation to non-traditional areas including wider latitudes, higher altitudes and marginal lands, and to fit in the narrow window of time between harvest and planting of important cereal crops