Seed Production Systems in Pigeonpea ICRISAT
2011
k b saxena
Among the legume crops of the tropics and sub-tropics red gram (tuar)or pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is recognized as an importantcrop for subsistence agriculture due to its drought tolerance, ability torecover from the losses caused by various stresses, high-protein (20?22%)grains, quality fodder, and fuel wood. Its ability to enrich soils furtheradds to the value of the crop, and therefore, pigeonpea fi nds a valuableplace among smallholding farmers in a number of developing Asian andAfrican countries. According to van der Maesen (1980) the cultivatedform of pigeonpea is believed to have originated in India from its wildrelative Cajanus cajanifolius (Haines) van der Maesen comb. nov, througha single gene mutation (De 1974). Subsequently, it spread from India intoother parts of the world at least two millennia B.C. Globally pigeonpeais commercially grown in over a dozen countries on about 5.25 millionhectares (Table 1) and India accounts for over 80% of the total area andproduction. Pigeonpea is primarily consumed as de-hulled split grains inthe form of a thick soup (dhal) eaten with rice and unleavened bread (rotior chapati). In Africa and Central America, whole dry seeds are cookedafter soaking. Its immature but fully-grown seeds are consumed as a freshvegetable that can also be processed for canning and freezing
Show more [+] Less [-]K B Saxena, 'Seed Production Systems in Pigeonpea ICRISAT', International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, 2011
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by GARDIAN