@article{icrisat4074, publisher = {International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)}, year = {2001}, title = {Wild relatives of pigeonpea in China}, pages = {32--34}, author = {K B Saxena and L J Reddy and Shiying Yang and Xuxiao Zong and Zhenghong Li and Chaohong Zhou}, journal = {International Chickpea and Pigeonpea Newsletter}, number = {8}, url = {http://oar.icrisat.org/4074/}, abstract = {Wild relatives play an important role in the genetic improvement of cultivated crops. Breeders turn their attention to the wild relatives of crops after unsuccessful search for some unique trait in the cultivated germplasm. According to van der Maesen (1986) the genus Cajanus has 32 species. Of these, the Indian subcontinent harbors 18 species. ICRISAT has the global responsibility of collection, maintenance, and evaluation of germplasm of the wild relatives of pigeonpea. At present a total of 213 accessions, representing 20 Cajanus species are conserved for use in the breeding programs.} }