Genomics-Aided Breeding Strategies for Addressing Biotic Stresses of the Three Underutilized Pulse Crops
摘要
Pulses are the affordable and sustainable source of protein and important nutrients for the vegetarian population across the globe. Pulses are generally grown on marginal soil with low inputs, which results in low crop performance and yields. It is imperative to enhance the productivity of pulses to meet the nutritional requirements of the burgeoning population. Apart from major pulses in India, there are prominent minor pulses namely horse gram, moth bean and rice bean, which despite having high nutraceutical value are still grown on marginal soils under water-limited conditions. These crops have attracted limited research investments. Notwithstanding this, the minor pulses are likely to play a vital role in addressing the challenges of food security and income generation in rural areas of the developed nations. This chapter discusses the current status of the availability of germplasm resources and genomic technologies in these underutilized crops and their efficient utilization for developing improved cultivars with biotic stress tolerance.