Pigeonpea hybrid breeding in India

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 2017

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 2017

2016

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is an important pulse crop of peninsular India and of the 4 m ha grown, this region contributes >70% both in area and production. The productivity of pigeonpea in this region is at around 650 kg/ ha, and to smash this low yield plateau, a hybrid technology, based on cytoplasmic nuclear male-sterility (CMS) and natural cross-pollination was evolved at ICRISAT. Among several location-specific hybrids were bred, ICPH 2740 gave outstanding performance in farmers' fields and later released in Telangana for cultivation in 2015 as "Mannem Konda Kandi". This wilt and sterility mosaic resistant hybrid was tested in 31 locations over five years exhibited 40.7% superiority over the ruling variety "Asha". In the on-farm trials also, this hybrid recorded yield advantage of 36.2% in four provinces. This paper discusses salient features, performance, and seed technology of the hybrid ICPH 2740.

2016

Release of the world’s first commercial pigeonpea hybrid is considered a milestone in the history of legume breeding. At present three commercial hybrids with yield advantages of 30 -50% are available. This has been possible due to success breeding of (i) a stable CMS system, (ii) quality fertility restorers, and (iii) standardized seed production technology. To sustain the achievements of this breakthrough, it is essential that superior hybrids are bred at regular intervals. In this communication an attempt has been made to highlight the achievements of hybrid breeding and consolidate strategies to develop new high yielding hybrids and their seed technology using the latest breeding and genomics tools.

In the study, CMS based hybrid combination involving two male sterile lines (Cajanus cajanifolius) and four restorer lines in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) were studied to determine the genetics of fertility restoration in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.). Based on the pollen fertility and pod setting, F 2 segregating populations were categorised. Out of two major genes governing the fertility restoration, one gene segregated in the ratio of 9:3:4 whereas the second gene in 12:3:1 due to the allelic differences. The ICPA 2043/ LRG 41 and ICPA 2043/NDA 1 hybrids fits best for agronomical aspects as they showed earliness with respect to flowering and maturity having more number of pods plant-1 , increase in pod length along with more seed yield plant-1. CMS system is a useful tool serving to increase seed yield production of various crops and consummate the demands of increasing populations. Highlights • Fertility restoration was observed to be governed by two major genes. • The seed yield of hybrids was extremely high i.e. 62.12 and 12.18 and 67.32 and 15.78 per cent over the checks LRG 41 and NDA1 respectively.

To ascertain combining ability 30 hybrids were made from 13 parents in a line X tester mating design during kharif, 2012-13 and tested in a Randomized Block Design with two replications during kharif, 2013-14. Analysis of variance for quantitative traits revealed that all accessions were significantly different and a wide range of variability exists for most of the traits studied. Most promising combinations for seed yield per plant were ICPA 2047 x ICPL 20126, ICPA 2048 x ICPL 20106, ICPA 2047 x ICPL 20108 and ICPA 2047 x ICPL 20098. The general combining ability revealed that among the testers, ICPL 20126 and ICPL 20108 were good general combiners for seed yield/plant. The results also revealed that some crosses exhibited high order significant and desirable SCA effects for different characters involved parents having different GCA effects.

2010

The present investigations were carried out to derive information on heterosis, combining ability, stability and some quality parameters in a series of CGMS-based pigeonpea hybrids. Also, it was aimed to study the genetics of fertility restoration and stability of the male-sterile lines of pigeonpea. A line x tester mating design was used to develop F1 hybrids using three CGMS lines ICPA 2043, ICPA 2047 and ICPA 2092 developed at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru (Andhra Pradesh). All three A-lines were derived from Cajanus cajanifolius (A4) cytoplasm. The testers comprised of 13 inbred lines obtained from ICRISAT; 10 lines from Agricultural Research Station, Badnapur, M.A.U., Parbhani, five lines from MPKV Rahuri; and six lines from Pulses Research Unit, PDKV, Akola. All the materials were evaluated at Patancheru, Parbhani, Latur and Badnapur. All the cross combinations were made during kharif 2008 in a line × tester mating desig...

Green …, 2011

The experimental materials comprised of 1 02 pigeon pea hybrids (F,) along with check (BSMR 736) were derived by crossing three CMS-lines (ICPA 2043, ICPA 2047 and ICPA 2092 with 34 testers. The dal of 250 gm sun-dried F, seeds of hybrids and check was prepared, This dal was used to study cooking time (min), water absorption (gg"), dal recovery (%) and protein content (%). The analysis of variance for four quality traits studied was highly significant, indicating the presence of variation in the materials studied. The cooking time of dal had negative correlation with dal recovery while positive with protein content; whereas water absorption had negative correlation with protein content. The hybrid made between all the three malesterile lines with four male parents ICP 3525, ICP 3963, ICP 3374 and ICPL 201 06 took less time to cook than the check. The water absorption of dal by cooking (gg") for ICPA 2043-derived hybrids was slightly less than ICPA 2047-and ICPA 2092derived hybrids. The mean dal recovery (%) for ICPA2047-and ICPA2092-derived hybrids was 66.2 %. The hybrid ICPA2047 x ICP 3374 and ICPA 2092 x ICP 3374 (77.9 %) recorded significantly greater dal recovery (%) over the check BSMR 736 (69.37 %). The results of protein content among three CMS-based hybrids revealed that there was 20% protein present among three CMS-derived hybrids of pigeonpea. The hybrids ICPA2043 x BSMR 198, ICPA2043 x BSMR 175 and ICPA2043 x ICP 3407 possess significantly more protein (%) than the check (BSMR 736).

Pigeonpea yields have remainedunacceptably low over the past five decades and efforts to break this plateau through breeding pure line cultivars did not succeed in its mission. Key successes in breeding stable cytoplasmic nuclear male-sterility (CMS) system, its fertility restorers, and development of an efficient hybrid seed production technology have led to the release of the world’s first commercial hybrid in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.].This hybrids has demonstrated 40-50% yield advantage over the best locally adapted varieties in different agro-ecological environments, giving a strong indication towards a breakthrough in the stagnant productivity of the crop. This paper discusses various issues related to genetic enhancement of productivity in pigeonpea.

2005

The nature and action of genes determining yield in cereals and pulses are more or less comparable. But the advances made in improving the yield levels through breeding in cereals are much higher than those of the legumes. Apart from other physiological differences \ many cereals and legumes, this differential yield advances may be attributed to comm!!rcial exploitation of hybrid vigour in the former. Although floral biology of some of the legumes permits limited out-crossing hybrid vigour for yield has not been exploited for commercial use in any other legume with the exception of pigeonpea. Recently, significant progress has been made to develop hybrid pigeonpea technology. This technology is based on cytoplasmicgenic male-sterility systems , developed through crosses between cultivated types with its wild relatives. Some of the hybrids have recorded up to 77% standard heterosis for grain yield. The technology for developing their maintainers and restoration of their fertility, an...