Posted on February, 21, 2024 at 09:23 am
In a monumental stride towards combating food insecurity, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has unveiled a pioneering speed breeding protocol for pigeonpea. This breakthrough slashes the breeding cycle from a daunting thirteen years to a mere two to four years. Aiming to fortify food security across Asia and Africa, this innovation is poised to rapidly cultivate climate-resilient, nutritionally enhanced, and higher-yielding pigeonpea varieties.
Traditionally, developing a new pigeonpea variety could take up to seven years, a timeline now drastically reduced thanks to ICRISAT's cutting-edge protocol. By meticulously managing photoperiod, temperature, and humidity, the breeding cycle is accelerated, enabling a faster response to the urgent need for resilient food sources. Pigeonpea, a cornerstone of food security and soil health, has seen limited varietal development over the past sixty years due to its lengthy growth period and sensitivity to daylight. The introduction of this speed breeding protocol heralds a new era in pulse production, with the potential to develop hundreds of superior varieties within the same timeframe it previously took to produce one.
The unveiling of the speed breeding protocol during the World Pulses Day celebrations highlights its significance as a major achievement towards self-sufficiency in pulse production. The success of this initiative is not a solo endeavor but the result of a synergistic collaboration among CGIAR initiatives, the Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the Government of Odisha, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and the Government of India. These partnerships underscore a shared commitment to a nutrition-rich future and the challenge of meeting the rising demand for pigeon pea in countries such as India, Myanmar, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique.
ICRISAT's breakthrough in pigeonpea breeding is more than a technical achievement; it's a beacon of hope for millions depending on agriculture for their livelihood and sustenance. By significantly reducing the time required to develop and deploy new pigeonpea varieties, this protocol offers a blueprint for efficient crop development. It's a step forward in ensuring food security, enhancing nutritional outcomes, and achieving self-sufficiency in pulse production across the semi-arid tropics. The potential for rapid adaptation to climate change and the improvement in yield and nutritional quality of pigeonpea varieties promise a sustainable future for food systems in Asia and Africa.
In the wake of this innovation, the global focus shifts towards how the adoption of such protocols can be accelerated, ensuring that the benefits of speed breeding reach the fields and plates of those who need them most. ICRISAT's groundbreaking work not only enhances the capacity to meet the challenges of food security but also sets a precedent for future crop improvement efforts, offering a glimpse into a future where hunger and malnutrition are significantly diminished.
Source: BNN