Why in News?
Recently, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) developed India’s first fully annotated telomere-to-telomere (T2T) reference genome of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) variety ‘Asha’.
This development can support precision breeding, disease resistance, climate resilience and productivity improvement in pigeonpea.
About Pigeonpea
Pigeonpea is popularly known as ‘Arhar’ or ‘Tur’ and is one of India’s important pulse crops. It is a leguminous crop and an important source of dietary protein.
In India, pigeonpea is primarily consumed in the form of dal. It is predominantly a tropical crop and is widely cultivated in the semi-arid regions of the country.
Climatic Conditions
Rainfall
Pigeonpea requires around 600–650 mm of annual rainfall. It needs moist conditions during the initial eight weeks, followed by relatively dry conditions during flowering and pod development.
Temperature
During the rainy season, pigeonpea grows well at temperatures of around 26–30°C. During the post-rainy season, particularly from November to March, suitable temperatures are around 17–22°C.
Soil
Although pigeonpea can be cultivated in different types of soils, sandy loam and loam soils are considered particularly suitable.
The crop is sensitive to low solar radiation during pod development. Therefore, flowering during prolonged monsoon or cloudy conditions can result in poor pod formation.
Pigeonpea is also commonly cultivated as an intercrop with a wide range of other crops.
Major Diseases
Important diseases affecting pigeonpea include:
Wilt, Sterility Mosaic Disease, Phytophthora Blight, Alternaria Blight and Powdery Mildew.
Among these, Fusarium wilt and Sterility Mosaic Disease are particularly important constraints to pigeonpea production.
Health Benefits
Pigeonpea has a low glycaemic index and provides several important nutrients.
It is rich in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin A, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium.
Its high protein content makes it particularly important for improving nutritional security in populations where pulses are a major source of plant-based protein.
Major Pigeonpea Producing States
Major pigeonpea-producing states mentioned include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.
T2T Reference Genome of Pigeonpea
The development of a telomere-to-telomere (T2T) reference genome for the pigeonpea variety ‘Asha’ represents an important advancement in crop genomics.
A T2T genome aims to provide a highly complete representation of the chromosomes, extending from one telomere to the other and reducing gaps that may exist in conventional genome assemblies.
A fully annotated genome can help researchers identify and study genes associated with important agricultural traits, including yield, disease resistance, environmental adaptation and nutritional characteristics.
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