In Hyderabad, a major development in Indian farming has emerged. Experts at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) have created a unique pigeon pea variety named ICPV 25444. This new type can handle high summer heat and grows in just 125 days.
On Monday, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, ICRISAT’s Director General, shared with the press, “Developing this summer-ready pigeon pea highlights the power of science when focused on urgent needs. By making pigeon pea an all-season crop, our team offers a timely answer to pulse shortages and the climate issues faced by farmers across India.”
This new pigeon pea is resistant to heat and does not rely on specific light or temperature conditions. Trials in Karnataka, Odisha, and Telangana showed it yields 2 tons per hectare. It marks a significant change, allowing cultivation not just in the rainy season but also in summer when temperatures can soar to 45°C.
Before this, pigeon pea growing was restricted to certain seasons due to its sensitivity to light and heat. ICPV 25444 is now in field trials, marking a pivotal change by enabling year-round cultivation and offering new opportunities for Indian agriculture.
Dr. Stanford Blade, ICRISAT’s Deputy Director of Research and Innovation, noted that this achievement was made possible by the world’s first pigeon pea speed-breeding method, developed by ICRISAT in 2024. This method allows up to four generations per year, cutting down the time to develop a new variety from 15 years to just five.
The speed-breeding breakthrough was spearheaded by Dr. Prakash Gangashetty, a Senior Scientist in Pigeon pea Breeding, and his team. Developed over a year, this protocol tackled the challenge of accelerating crop improvement and reduced the time for new cultivars to enter registration trials to 3-4 years.
By cultivating pigeon peas in controlled settings and using space-efficient planting in 4-inch pots, scientists grew 18,000 plants per season in a 2,250 sq ft area to optimize seed production. This was further enhanced with advanced genomic technologies and the seed-chipping method. The new pigeon pea variety is set to help address India's pulse shortage.
