Improvement of pigeonpea for plant type, early maturity, pod borer resistance and moisture stress tolerance

Indo-Swiss Collaboration on Biotechnology (ISCB) funded project that aims to increase productivity of agricultural crops.

• Pulses in India are grown under rain fed conditions in marginal/ less fertile lands with meagre pest and nutrient management.
  
• The pod borers, Helicoverpa armigera and Maruca vitrata are major insect pests of pigeonpea causing 80-100% crop losses. The tolerant accessions may be utilised directly for increasing the crop productivity or may be used as donors of these traits for the development of improved varieties by traditional as well as modern approaches.
• It is planned to utilize the diversity in pigeonpea from various sources for its evaluation (field and molecular), identification and development of early maturing superior genotypes and identification of QTLs and genes responsible for moisture stress tolerance.

To the project, the FGCZ contributes Proteomics analytical and data analysis / interpretation know- how and technology resources. In addition, training activities in Switzerland and India will benefit PhD students and other researchers via scientific exchange and technology courses held in India.