Virtual Annual Group Meet on Kharif Pulses - Pigeon pea, Mungbean, Urdbean & Arid Legumes Held

The “Virtual Annual Group Meet on Kharif Pulses - Pigeon pea, Mungbean, Urdbean and Arid Legumes under aegis of All India Coordinated Research Projects on Pigeon pea, MULLaRP and Arid Legumes” was organized in the First Week of June, 2020. 

The Chief Guest of the Plenary Session, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR) applauded the Pulses Fraternity’s efforts for marching towards pulses revolution in the country. Dr. Mohapatra emphasized on the need for sustaining the gains witnessed recently in the pulse crops via increasing the productivity in most of the pulse crops. Highlighting the larger scope and significance of the digital platforms enabling frequent interactions among the research scientists, the Director General appreciated the current efforts being made towards digital communications to deliver outcomes amid the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

Reviewing the progress of different programmes under the three AICRPs, viz., Pigeon pea, MULLaRP and Arid Legumes, Dr. Tilak Raj Sharma, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), ICAR stressed on intensifying the research efforts on pre-breeding through embracing new tools and technologies to overcome a variety of barriers of wide hybridization. 

Dr. N.P. Singh, Director, ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh apprised about the self-sufficiency in pulses production achieved through the technological breakthroughs in pulses research and development delivered by three AICRPs on pulses. 

The crops experts also provided their valuable suggestions / recommendations for further improving the efficacy of the AICRPs. 

The detailed progress made during 2019-20 under the respective AICRPs was presented and the technical programmes for ensuing Kharif season was finalized during the Webinar. 

A total of 110 participants from various parts of the country participated in the Virtual Meeting.