ICRISAT develops world’s first extreme heat-tolerant pigeon pea through speed breeding

Hyderabad: In a significant advancement for Indian agriculture, scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) have developed ICPV 25444, a first-of-its-kind pigeon pea cultivar that can withstand high summer temperatures and mature in just 125 days.

Interacting with the media on Monday, Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, stated, “This breakthrough in developing a summer-adapted pigeon pea cultivar is a shining example of what science can achieve when driven by urgency and purpose. By transforming pigeon pea into an all-season crop, our scientists have delivered a timely solution with the potential to address pulse shortages and the climate challenges facing farmers across India.”

This heat-tolerant, photo- and thermo-insensitive cultivar has been successfully tested in the states of Karnataka, Odisha, and Telangana, demonstrating yields of 2 tons per hectare. Crucially, it represents a breakthrough in pigeon pea cultivation, allowing the crop to be grown not only during the traditional rainy (kharif) season but also in the extreme heat of summer, where temperatures can reach up to 45°C.

Previously, pigeon pea was limited to specific growing seasons due to its sensitivity to photoperiod and temperature.

ICPV 25444, currently undergoing field trials, marks a turning point by transforming pigeon pea into an all-season crop and opening new possibilities for Indian farmers.

Dr Stanford Blade, Deputy Director of Research and Innovation at ICRISAT, explained, “This breakthrough was made possible by the world’s first pigeon pea speed-breeding protocol developed by ICRISAT in 2024. The protocol enabled researchers to grow up to four generations per year, reducing the time required to develop a new variety from 15 years to just five.”

ICRISAT has unveiled this pioneering speed-breeding protocol for pigeon pea, an achievement led by Dr Prakash Gangashetty, Senior Scientist in Pigeon pea Breeding, and his team. Developed over a year, the protocol addressed the complex challenge of speeding up crop improvement processes and reduced the time for advanced cultivars to be submitted for registration trials to 3-4 years.

By growing pigeon peas in controlled environments and utilizing space-optimized planting in 4-inch pots, scientists managed to grow 18,000 plants per season in a 2,250 sq ft area to maximize seed generation. This process was further enhanced using advanced genomic technologies with the seed-chipping method. The new cultivar is poised to address India’s pulse deficit.