Potential for Genetic Improvement in Salinity Tolerance in Legumes: Pigeon Pea

Subbarao, G V and Johansen, C (1991) Potential for Genetic Improvement in Salinity Tolerance in Legumes: Pigeon Pea. In: Handbook of Plant And Crop Stress. Marcel Dekker, Inc., pp. 581-595. ISBN 0824719484

PDF - Published Version Restricted to ICRISAT users only Download (6MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Leguminous crops are cultivated throughout the world because of their importance as a protein source in the diets of humans and livestock. Furthcr, many leguminous species are cultivated as pasture, fodder, or green manure plants. Legumes thereby form essential components of cropping systems, primarily because of their inputs of nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere but also for other benefits thcy offer, such as improving the soil physical and chemical environment and breaking disease cycles (I). Among various crop plants tested, however, legumes have generally been found to be more sensitive to soil salinity (2). With the emphasis given to increasing cereal production in recent decades, the cultivation of legume crops has generally been forced to more marginal lands, including those prone to salinity problems. Further, legumes grown on residual soil moisture in the season after thc rains, such as chickpea and lentil, are particularly pronc to salt damage: salts are progressively concentrated in the soil solution and precipitated toward the soil surface as the soil dries out. Thus, legumcs generally face a greater threat of salinity than cereals because of their greater salt sensitivity and an increasing likelihood of being exposed to saline environments. Thcreforc, improvement in the salinity tolerance of legumes is of immediate and increasing concern.

Item Type:	Book Section
Divisions:	UNSPECIFIED
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	Mandate crops > Pigeonpea
Depositing User:	Library ICRISAT
Date Deposited:	18 Dec 2011 13:34
Last Modified:	18 Dec 2011 13:34
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/5022
Acknowledgement:	UNSPECIFIED
Links:	Author

View Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item