1965-66
Considering the dietary importance of Pulses and need for increasing Pulse production, Government of Gujarat implemented a scheme on “Research in pulses” in 1965-66 with head quarter at Junagadh. With the inception of Gujarat Agricultural University in 1972, the research activities were intensified. Looking to the intense research need in pulses the scheme entitled “Strengthening Research in Pulses” was started in 1975-76 with the post of Associate Research Scientist, and from the same year center has started the research programme under All India Coordinated Pulses Improvement Project. The Post of Research Scientist (Chickpea) was provided in state scheme after the separation of chickpea crop from pulses to intensify the research activities at state level.

At present, this center is working as a mandatory center for chickpea crop and is also working as testing and verifying center for MULLaRP crops. This station is working as a sub-station for AICRP on pigeonpea from the year 2001. The center is engaged with the research in plant breeding, agronomy, entomology and plant pathology disciplines with respect to chickpea, mungbean and urdbean. Chickpea trials are being formulated and seeds are regularly supplied from this station to all the sub stations of the state.
Moreover this center is also collaborating with ICAR and other agencies. We are also cooperating with ICRISAT for chickpea improvement programme

Infrastructure

• Collection, evaluation and maintenance of germplasm of different pulses crops like chickpea and pigeonpea.

• To develop varieties of above crops with high yield potential, better grain quality and tolerance to different biotic and abiotic stress.

• Development of  location specific production technology

• Dissemination of technology to the farmers

• Monitoring the diseases & insect pests. Screening of genotypes against diseases and key insect and integrated management of insect pests of pulses

Seed production of chickpea and pigeonpea varieties, this centre.

1. To, Collect evaluation and maintain the germplasm of mandate crops viz; chickpea and pigeonpea.

2. To enrich the germplasm for developing high yielding diseaseand insect pest resistant and better grain quality varieties.

3. To develop varieties of above crops having high yield potential better grain quality and resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.

4. To evaluate newly developed genotypes under various environments to find out their suitability.

5. To develop location specific production technology in chickpea and pigeonpea

6. To carry-out Screening and testing for various disease and insect resistance and workout effective as well as economical control measures.

7. To produce and distribute good quality of chickpea and pigeonpea varieties 

To disseminate production technology to the farmers by using various extension tools.

i. Strengthening of genetic resources which includes collection, evaluation and maintenance of
   germplasm for making use in breeding programmes.

ii. Development of new genetic materials for developing genotypes with high stable yield, better grain
    quality and resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses

 iii. Testing of newly developed genotypes of chickpea and pigeonpea under various categories of trials
     such as  PET, SSVT, LSVT, IVT and AVT etc.

iv.  Seed multiplication of different varieties on large scale to cater need of farmers and various seed  
     producing agencies.

Dissemination of the newly developed technology on the farmer's field through demonstrations

 i.            To ascertain the suitable crop sequence.

ii.            To workout the suitable inter/relay  cropping system involving pigeonpea.

To study the feasibility of organic farming in pulses crops.

 i.            Pest and diseases survey and surveillance of various pulses crops.

ii.            Screening of chickpea, pigeonpea, mungbean, urdbean for resistance against wilt and stunt  
  diseases in seek plots.

iii.            Screening of chickpea, pigeonpea, mungban, urdbean etc for key insect pests.

iv.            Management of wilt and stunt diseases in chickpea through bio-agents

v.            Management of Helicoverpa in chickpea and Maruca (Spoted bollworms) in mungbean
   through  eco-friendly agents

 vi.            IPM in chickpea.

Following three desi chickpea varieties have been developed at this station and released for cultivation.

Gujarat Gram 1 is high yielding variety with tolerant to wilt. This variety can be grown under rainfed as well as irrigated conditions. Gujarat Gram 2 is early maturing (90-95 days) high yielding and wilt tolerant variety suitable for rainfed conditions of the Gujarat state. The grain size is extra bold i.e. 30.5 g of 100 seeds. Gujarat Gram 4 is suitable for rainfed as well as irrigated conditions of the North East Plain Zone. This variety is high yielding and tolerant to wilt. 

Looking to the will incidence and net returns per unit area for the effective management of will of chickpea, the crop rotation chickpea after sorghum OR chickpea after bajara and apply castor cake 500 kg/ha at the time of sowing seed treatment of carbendazim 1 g. and thirum 2 g./kg seed OR caster cake 500 kg/ha at the time of sowing with seed treatment of tebuconazole 3 g./kg seed was found beneficil.

Agronomy:

Following three recommendations were made by this station based on the agronomic experiments.

1. The farmers of South Saurashtra Agro-climatic zone are advised to apply 40 kg phosphorous and 40
    kg sulphur per hectare  to urdbean crop (var. T-9) for securing higher yield and net monitory realization,
    (1994- 95).

2. It is recommended that the intercropping system of mustard with chickpea is not beneficial, therefore,
   the farmers of North Gujarat Agro-climatic zone having light textured soil are advised to grow either
   chickpea or  mustard according to their need and convenience, (1995-96).

3. The farmers of North Gujarat Agro-climatic zone having light textured soils and who are interested to
    cultivate chickpea are advised to grow ICCC 4 variety and sow the crop during first week of November
    at 45 cm row spacing to get higher and net monitory return. The yield is drastically reducesd in delayed
    sowing. (1996-97)

4. Farmers of South Saurashtra agro-climatic zone growing pigeonpea as a relay crop in grounnut are
   advised to treat pigeonpea seed with Rhizobium culture prior to showing (@25 g/kg seed) and apply
   recommended dose of N and P @ 25-50-00 Ka/ha. The N should be applied in two equal splits i.e. first
   at the time of sowing and the second. at the time of earthing up and followed by first irrigation for getting
  higher yield and net return.

GRAM
1. To avoid the losses in irrigated gram crop, it is recommended to spray monocrotophos 0.04% at 50%
    flowering stage  followed by endosulfan 0.07% at 15 days after spraying (ICBR 1:3.0). It is also
    recommended to spray fenvalerate 0.01% if  the population of Helicoverpa is very high (ICBR 1:12.0).
    The synthetic pyrethroid should be used judiciously.

 2. Application of recommended insecticides on chickpea at ETL 15 larvae per 20 plants manages the
     population of gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hub) effectively and economically in Saurashtra.

 3. The loss in yield due to gram pod borer Helicoverpa armigera was recorded in chickpea varieties,
    chaffa (19.98%), ICCC-4 (24.41%), Dahod yellow (24.65%), it was recorded maximum in Kabuli
    (32.15%).

 4. Chickpea genotypes, JCP 86 (4.39 %), JCP 82 (5.91 %), JCP101 (5.48 %) and JCP 11 (6.77%) were
     found  tolerant to gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera.

 5. Farmer's of South Saurashtra Zone advised to apply any one of the following insecticides twice (first at
    the time of 50 % flowering and second at 15 days after first spray) for effective and economical control
    of gram pod borer Helicoverpa  armigera on chickpea crop.

6. Farmers of two low volumesprays of endosulfan 0.21 % (Endosulfan 1.200lit. in 200 lit. water/ha)
   through power sprayer (ICBR 1:7.66) twice, starting from 50% flowering and second at 15 days after
   first spray, for effective and economic control of pod borer in chickpea.

 7.  For effective and economic management of Helicoverpa armigera is chickpea, farmers of South
   Saurashtra Agro-climatic Zone are advised to spray fenavalerte 0.02 % at 50 per cent flowering
   following by second spray of endosulfan 0.07 % at 50 per cent pod formation (CBR 1:9.85).

 8.  For effective and economic management of gram pod borer in chickpea,  farmers of South
     Saurashtra Agro-climatic Zone are advised to apply three sprays of profenofos @ 750 g a.i./ha (1.5
    litre/ha) (CBR 1:2.47) or go for alternate spray of NSKE 5 %, Bt 1 kg/ha and profenofos 750 g a.i./ha
    (1.5 litre/ha) (CBR 1:1.98) at 10 days  interval starting from 50 per cent flowering).  

The role of phenols in chickpea wilt resistance was investigated with the collaboration of Biochemistry Department of Junagadh Agricultural University.

Quantity of Breeder seed of chickpea produced during 1990-91 to 2007-08

FLDs on chickpea
Impact of FLDs:
Farmers have been fully convinced by the superiority of improved varieties of chickpea. Newly developed chickpea variety Gujarat Gram 2 has been adopted very rapidly in Bhal area of the state due its superiority in yield, earliness, bold grain size and wilt tolerant. At present approximately 25 to 30 thousand ha. area is under this variety. FLD farmers distributed the seeds of Gujarat Gram 2 to the other farmers. Thus, the response of farmers toward the adoption of Gujarat Gram 2 is excellent. The old variety chaffa has been completely replaced by the variety Gujarat Gram 2. It is highly appreciated and adopted by the farmers. It is also tried in paddy growing area of Kheda, Baroda and Panchmahal districts where chickpea is being grown under conserved moisture condition. The demonstrations were conducted in North Gujarat, South Gujarat, Middle Gujarat and Saurashtra under limited irrigated conditions during 1999-2000. The performance was appreciable in all the areas.
Gujarat Gram 1 is also tested in FLDs under irrigated and rainfed conditions. It is mainly released for irrigated condition and has out yielded all the old varieties in demonstrations. Recently chickpea variety SAKI 9516 is also total under FLDs during Rabi 2007-08.

(b) FLDs on Groundnut-Pigeonpea relay cropping system.

Impact of FLDs:
The rainfall in Saurashtra is erratic and scanty. The major groundnut crop is always under high risk. Farmers have adopted pigeonpea as a relay crop in groundnut because of the following reasons.
1. It does not reduce the area of groundnut as pigeonpea is being sown between two rows of groundnut 
    in the  month of August.
2. It does not decrease the yield of groundnut; hence the income from pigeonpea is treated as an
    additional income.
3. It covers the risk of major crop of groundnut in irregular monsoon and scarcity condition.
4. It provides valuable nutritive fodder for cattle, which is an essential requirement for the farmers of
    Saurashtra.
5. It can be grown with limited irrigation facilities in which any other winter crop can not be grown.

At present medium late variety BDN 2 is highly popular among the farmers as it requires only two to three irrigations after monsoon. Farmers harvested on an average 1295 kg/ha of pigeonpea yield by adopting this cropping system. The market price of pigeonpea is highly attractive hence farmers are adopting this cropping system.
Pigeonpea variety BSMR-853 has been demonstrated in FlDs conducted during Kharif-2003. Anther pigeonpea variety BSMR 736 harbeen also demonstratedduring Kharif 2007

The technologies developed at this research station are being discriminated to the various extension agencies, N.G.O's, farmers and students in the following ways.

• Organizing farmers day / Agril. fair  at the station every two year

• Participating in the ' Krushi Mela ', farmers days and Agril. Exhibition organized by University or other  agencies.

• Educating govt. officials in pre – seasonal training , diagnostic team visit and other training programmes

• Conducting demonstration plot and organizing field days on farmer's field.

• Educating students during Kendra Nivas  and to farmers during visit of this station

• Through TV, Radio broadcasting, literature, press note, personnel / spot field diagnosis and letter etc.

1.  Yield enhancement and stability in production of pulses through verstile varieties / hybrids of different maturity groups for different growing conditions

2.  To develop input responsive varieties of pulses in general and mungbean and pigeonpea in particular.

3.   To brace up production technology of pulses that is more friedly to harsh envronment in terms of sustaining and utilizing natural resources i.e biofertilizers, water and land.

1.  Development of high yielding veirieties having stable performance, consumer friendly quality and
     toleance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
2. Development of resources responsive varieties / hybrids of pulses
3. Production technology for specific crop system based on pulses
4. Identification of donors for major diseases, insect pests and quality traits.
5. Enhanced quality attributes that includes physical, nutritional and cooking quality and arresting
    antinutritional atrributes

1. Crop improvement activities for evolving of high yielding veirieties having stable performance,
    consumer  friendly quality and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
2. Development of resources responsive varieties / hybrids of pulses
3. Production technology for specific crop system based on pulses
4. Identification of donors for major diseases, insect pests and quality traits.
5. Enhanced quality attributes that includes physical, nutritional and cooking quality and arresting
   antinutritional  atrributes.

Dr. M. S. PITHIA
I/C RESEARCH SCIENTIST (CHICKPEA)
Pulses Research Station
Junagadh Agricultural University
Junagadh-362 001 (Gujarat) (India)