Video: Pre-breeding funding key to pulse revolution

By Dr Damaris A Odeny, Scientist – Biotechnology (ESA), Genomics & Trait Discovery, Genetic Gains Program, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

The challenges to breeding pigeonpea in East and South Africa can be surmounted by the use of advanced tools such as genomics, combining the crop’s unique attributes from different regions, mentoring youth, and exploiting export markets within Africa.

This video is one in a series created by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for the International Year of Pulses. Pulses including pigeonpeas and chickpeas are some of the mandate crops of ICRISAT. Research focus is on (a) improved grain quality, nutritional traits, food safety, nitrogen fixing properties, hybrids, and (b) drought tolerance and adaptation to diverse dryland agroecosystems and to differing rotations with cereal crops. Breeding is enhanced with modern genomic and molecular tools, precise phenotyping and crop simulation modeling. ICRISAT works along the whole value chain of pulses in an integrated manner to create a win-win situation for the farmer, consumer and the planet.

The views expressed here belong to the speaker and do not necessarily represent FAO’s views, positions, strategies or opinions.