Global & National Significance

• Originated in Africa, later domesticated in India where it became a major pulse crop.
• India is the largest producer and consumer, contributing about 77–80% of global production.
• Major role in protein security in vegetarian diets.
• Important crop for rainfed agriculture due to drought tolerance.
• Supports sustainable farming through nitrogen fixation and deep rooting.

🇮🇳 Area, Production & Productivity (India – Recent Trends)

• Average productivity: ~859 kg/ha
• Major producing belt: Central and Eastern India

Top Producing States

• Uttar Pradesh → 0.47 million tonnes
• Madhya Pradesh → 0.44 million tonnes
• West Bengal → ~10.5% share
• Bihar → ~8.8% share
• Maharashtra and Karnataka are also major producers in long-duration types.

Botanical Features

• Family: Leguminosae (Fabaceae)
• Growth habit: Perennial shrub grown as annual crop
• Root system: Deep tap root (improves drought tolerance)
• Stem: Woody at maturity
• Leaves: Trifoliate
• Flower: Yellow with red streaks, papilionaceous
• Pod: 4–9 seeds

Agronomic Characteristics

• Season: Kharif crop (June–July sowing)
• Germination: Hypogeal
• Photosynthesis: C3 plant
• Photoperiod: Short-day plant
• Pollination: Often cross-pollinated (~20%) mainly by bees

Important pollinators: Megachile lanata, Apis florea

Soil & Climate Requirement

• pH range: 5–8
• Performs well in well-drained loamy soils
• Sensitive to: Waterlogging, Salinity, Aluminum toxicity in acidic soils
• Highly tolerant to drought due to deep root system.

Crop Establishment

• Sowing time: Mid-June to early July
• Seed rate: 12–15 kg/ha
• Spacing: 60 × 15 cm

Plant population

• Kharif crop: ~55,000 plants/ha
• Winter crop: ~333,000 plants/ha

Physiological Traits

• Harvest index: ~19% (lowest among pulses)
• Long duration varieties show more vegetative growth.
• Deep roots allow extraction of moisture from deeper layers.

Nutritional Value

• Protein: ~25%
• Rich in lysine and minerals
• Good source of dietary fiber
• Staple pulse for dal consumption

Yield

• Average yield: 800–1000 kg/ha
• Potential yield: 2–2.5 t/ha with improved practices

Key Agronomic Advantages

• Highly drought tolerant pulse crop
• Suitable for marginal lands
• Improves soil fertility
• Provides fuel wood and fodder

Varities

Based on Duration

Short Duration (110–125 days)

• Suitable for drought-prone and multiple cropping systems
• Prabhat → Extra early (110–120 days)
• UPAS-120 → Drought tolerant; widely grown early variety
• IPAE 15-6 → 129–149 days; tolerant to sterility mosaic & Phytophthora; moderately wilt resistant
• Importance: Fits well in rice fallow and intercropping systems

Medium Duration (150–180 days)

• Most widely cultivated group in India
• BDN-1 & BDN-2 → Popular in central India
• C-11 → Widely adapted variety
• Mulcta → Wilt resistant
• Bheema (GRG-152) → 165 days; highly resistant to Fusarium wilt & sterility mosaic
• ⭐ Importance: Balance between yield and stability

Long Duration (180–300 days)

• Suitable for traditional rainfed systems
• PUSA-9 → Long growth duration
• IPA 203 (Prakash) → 249–255 days; resistant to Fusarium wilt
• Importance: Higher biomass and deep rooting

Hybrid Varieties

Developed to increase yield and disease resistance

• ICPH-8 → First hybrid (ICRISAT, 1991); 130–132 days; yield ~20 q/ha
• PPH-4 → Punjab hybrid
• CoH-1 → Tamil Nadu hybrid
• AKPH 4101 & AKPH 2022 → Improved traits
• IPH 15-03 & IPH 9-05 → Released 2020–21; disease resistant
• Key point: Hybrids show 20–30% yield advantage

Recent Developments

• TDRG 59 (ICPL 99050): Resistant to wilt & sterility mosaic, Duration: ~170 days, Yield: ~1719 kg/ha
• Bheema (GRG-152): Released for central India, High disease resistance
• NAM Lines (NAM88, NAM92, NAM151): Developed using Nested Association Mapping, High yield potential and adaptability
• Importance: Focus on climate resilience and disease resistance

GI Tagged Varieties (India)

• Shows regional quality and uniqueness
• Gulbarga Tur Dal — Karnataka (GI 2019)
• Borsuri Tur Dal — Maharashtra (GI 2024)
• Uttarakhand Pahari Toor Dal — GI 2023
• Attappady Thuvara — Kerala (GI 2022)
• Tandur Redgram — Telangana (GI 2022)
• Exam tip: Gulbarga is most famous

Ultra Quick Revision Lines

• ICPH-8 → First pigeon pea hybrid
• UPAS-120 → Popular early variety
• Bheema → Wilt resistant
• IPA 203 → Long duration
• TDRG 59 → High yielding resistant variety
• Gulbarga Tur → Famous GI tag