The Wild Genepool of Pigeonpea at ICRISAT Genebank - Status and Distribution

Wild pigeonpea genepool is a promising source for various biotic and abiotic stress resistances, and important agronomic and nutritional traits. The genebank at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India, conserves 13,771 accessions of pigeonpea from 74 countries, including 555 accessions of wild relatives belonging to 66 species of six genera from 41 countries. Out of 11 genera now recognized in Cajaninae, only six are available at ICRISAT genebank. Of the 32 species recognized in genus Cajanus, ICRISAT genebank holds a total of 213 accessions of 19 species and C. scarabaeoides has largest number of accessions (102 accessions). Genebank has 303 accessions of genus Rhynchosia represented by 33 species and largely represented by R. minima (186 accessions). Genus Paracalyx has two accessions of one species; genus Dunbaria has 12 accessions of two species; genus Eriosema has seven accessions of three species and genus Flemingia is represented by 18 accessions of eight specie