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Pulses

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Trajectory of 75 years of Indian Agriculture after Independence

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Abstract

Pulses are nutrient-dense crops and the cheapest source of protein. Among the countries in the world, India produces and consumes the most pulses. These are the third most important crops after cereals and oilseeds. More than 80% of pulses are grown in rainfed and semi-arid regions across diverse climatic conditions. In the era of the Green Revolution, cereals were prioritized which brought self-sufficiency in food production. However, being exhaustive crops and high nutrient responsive, the demand for chemical fertilizers and ground water increased tremendously resulting in land degradation, a decline in the water table, and depletion in the soil fertility level. For the past several decades, pulses were largely ignored and these precious crops were pushed more towards marginal lands. As a result, the productivity of pulses stagnated and the demand-supply gap kept on widening. Many pulse-based technologies have been developed in the past, including region-specific varieties, advanced crop production and protection measures, crop diversification, micro-nutrient supplementation, promoting efficient Rhizobium strains, phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and hybrid technologies together have boosted pulse production in India. Along with scientific advancement supported by policy support such as the launching of various Government schemes such as the creation of pulse villages, accelerated pulse programmes under NFSM, increasing MSP and creation of seed hubs as per seed demand in different locations have brought the country self-sufficiency in pulse production. During this period both vertical and horizontal expansion of pulses including crop diversification in non-traditional areas took place which enabled further scope to expand pulse cultivation in the country. With the development of improved short-duration varieties and the use of genomic-assisted selection, breeding programs have been accelerated. Whole-genome sequencing of major pulses such as pigeon pea and chickpea provided vast information on specific gene-location imparting resistance towards biotic and abiotic stress. The present article analysed the critical gap in our understanding and explored further possibilities for enhancing pulse production in the country.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    K. K. Hazra & Partha Sarathi Basu

Authors
  1. K. K. Hazra
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  2. Partha Sarathi Basu
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

    P. K. Ghosh

  2. ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna, Bihar, India

    Anup Das

  3. ICAR- National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi, India

    Raka Saxena

  4. National Research Centre on Grapes, Pune, Maharashtra, India

    Kaushik Banerjee

  5. Central Research Institute on Jute & Allied Fibre, Barrackpore, West Bengal, India

    Gouranga Kar

  6. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India

    D. Vijay

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Hazra, K.K., Basu, P.S. (2023). Pulses. In: Ghosh, P.K., Das, A., Saxena, R., Banerjee, K., Kar, G., Vijay, D. (eds) Trajectory of 75 years of Indian Agriculture after Independence. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7997-2_9

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