ICAR's genome map could speed up better pigeonpea varieties
ICAR has unveiled India’s first fully annotated telomere-to-telomere genome for pigeonpea variety Asha, a step that could accelerate breeding and trait discovery. The development comes as India pushes to raise pulse output and reduce import dependence under its Aatmanirbharta in Pulses mission.
India’s pulse basket may be on the verge of a scientific upgrade that could matter far beyond laboratory shelves. A new genome milestone for pigeonpea, one of the country’s most important protein crops, is expected to sharpen the way breeders develop tougher, more productive varieties for Indian fields.A complete genetic blueprint for a key pulseIndian Council of Agricultural Research has announced India’s first fully annotated telomere-to-telomere reference genome of pigeonpea variety Asha, a development that brings the crop’s genetic map closer to a finished reference than any previous version. According to the Economic Times, the work builds on a decade-long research effort at the ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology in New Delhi, which had earlier produced the world’s first draft genome of a pulse crop in 2011 and an improved version in 2017.What the new assembly addsICAR update cited by the Economic Times. The assembly covers all 11 chromosomes of pigeonpea, along with 11 centromeres and 22 telomeres, which is what gives a telomere-to-telomere reference its value: fewer missing pieces and a cleaner framework for downstream research.Why breeders and farmers should carePart of a longer research arcLink to the pulses self-sufficiency pushGovernment of India’s Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, which runs from 2025-26 to 2030-31. The mission aims to raise pulse production to about 35 million tonnes by 2030-31 and reduce import dependence through better seeds, area expansion, technology adoption, assured procurement and stronger post-harvest infrastructure, according to the government plan referenced in the source material.What happens next