Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

Author(s):
Lakshmi Chaudhary, Rajesh Yadav, Sunil Kumar and Uma Devi

Abstract:
Pigeonpea also known as red gram or archer is second important pulse crop of India. It is perennial in nature and has indeterminate growth habit but typically cultivated as an annual crop. It is cultivated for seeds for human consumption which contains about 22% of protein. In Haryana Paras, Manak, PAU 881, VLA-1 varieties are grown by farmers which are indeterminate and mature late. By introducing extra-early (110-120days) and dwarf genotypes, pigeonpea can replace rice/cotton crop in kharif season and help farmers to fetch better price and add to soil health. At Pulses section of Dept. of Genetics & Plant Breeding, CCS HAU, Hisar; two parents AL-1484 x ICPL 85024 were crossed and pedigree method was used to handle the segregating generations, progenies showing earliness for Days to flowering (50-70 days) and Days to maturity (110-120 days) were selected. The newly developed ten genotypes were evaluated in LST-trial along with check varieties during kharif 2019. These ten lines were showing earliness for days to flowering (52-70 days) and days to maturity (110-122 days). Phenotypic correlation coefficients indicated that seed yield showed significantly positive correlation with days to 50% flowering (0.465), plant height (0.482), number of branches (0.536) and pods per plant (0.706). The highest positive direct effect on seed yield per plot was of number of pods per plant (0.54), number of branches (0.27), days to maturity (0.24) and 100-seed weight (0.30). The selection for these traits will be helpful for the development of high yielding extra early genotypes. The genotypes AH 16-36,AH 16-41, AH 16-42, AH 16-43, AH 16-44, AH 16-45, AH 16-47, AH 16-48, AH 16-49 and AH 16-50 can be used in crossing programme for the development of extra early and dwarf varieties that may fit well in new cropping systems (pigeonpea-wheat). It will enhance the diversified farming; in addition, it will solve the labour problem in pigeon pea by reducing the cost of production through mechanical operations.