Potential Pulses: Genetic and Genomic Resources

The fight against global hunger demands a fresh perspective. Lesser-known legumes, often called 'potential pulses', can play a pivotal role. These underutilized powerhouses, including adzuki bean, bambara groundnut, faba bean, cowpea, grass pea and horse gram, among others, are currently untapped resources. Their potential goes beyond their ability to thrive in harsh environments (caused by high temperature, drought, etc.) and fix nitrogen. With increased understanding of these legumes and their genetic and genomic potential, we can unlock a new world of sustainable and nutritious food sources. This book explores: The rich genetic diversity of potential pulses and its role in resilience. How advanced genomics can identify traits for improved yields, pest resistance, and climate adaptation. Strategies for conserving and utilizing these valuable genetic resources. Breeding programmes harnessing genetic potential to create next-generation pulse varieties. Focusing on the untapped genetic and genomic potential of these legumes, this book empowers researchers, breeders, and policymakers to unlock a new era of food and nutritional security. By leveraging the power of their genes, we can transform underutilized pulses into the nutritional heroes of tomorrow.

Dr. Rahul Chandora is working as a Scientist (Senior Scale) at the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Shimla. He has been serving as the curator of potential crops (adzuki bean, rice bean, amaranth, buckwheat, and chenopod) and is involved in the Plant Genetic Resource (PGR) management of legumes & pseudocereals which includes germplasm augmentation, characterization, evaluation (screening against biotic stresses, molecular, nutritional profiling), conservation as well as documentation and database curation for storage. He is trained in the use of molecular and bioinformatic techniques in plant genetics. He is the main developer of two varieties (one variety of Quinoa, 'Him Shakti' and one variety of Buckwheat, 'Him Phaphra') that were released and notified by the CVRC (Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards Notification and Release of Varieties) in 2021. Him Shakti is the first variety of quinoa to be released in India. He has also established two Community Seed Banks (CSBs) in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is also worth noting that he was a part of the team that identified and registered two genetic stocks, INGR21103 & INGR21136 of French bean that are resistance to Bean Common Mosaic Virus. He is also handling various institutional and externally-funded projects as Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator.

Dr. Basavaraja, T. started his career as a Scientist at the ICAR- Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur-208024 (India). He has seven-year of research experience in grain legume genetics and breeding and gained extensive conceptual knowledge in the diverse domain of Genetics, Cytogenetics, Crop Breeding, Population genetics, and Crop Biotechnology. Presently, He is working on genetic enhancement of pulse crops such as Common bean and Mung bean. He was an associated breeder and developer for developing high-yielding high yielding mung bean cultivars viz., IPM 512-1 (Soorya), IPM 312-20 (Vasudha) & IPM 409-4 (Heera). He procured and collected more than 2000 germplasm accessions of common bean from national & international gene banks. He contributed to the development of eight genetic stocks (4, common bean & 4, Mung bean) for BCMV disease resistance, yellow seeded & Bruchid resistance. He is actively working as a project leader in two externally funded projects (the DST-SERB project and Alliance Bioversity International-CIAT Common bean project). For his remarkable contribution to agricultural science, he received a young scientist award in the scientist award ceremony at Lucknow University (Uttar Pradesh).

Dr. Aditya Pratap, born on October 18, 1976, is working as Principal Scientist in the Crop Improvement Division, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur (IIPR). Holding a brilliant academic and service record, he has worked on genetic improvement of crop plants including Vigna species, wheat, triticale, rapeseed-mustard and chickpea. He has been associated with the development and release of 14 crop varieties including 9 in green gram, 1 in chickpea, 3 in rapeseed-mustard and one in facultative winter wheat including world's first earliest variety of mungbean, Virat, which matures in 52-55 days. He has executed several national and international collaborative projects as a team leader and successfully established the "International Mung bean Improvement Network" along with several international partners. To his credit, he has >190 publications including research papers in several high-impact journals. He has edited 6 books published by Springer, CABI and Elsevier. His research interests include distant hybridization, doubled haploidy breeding, plant tissue culture and molecular breeding. He is the recipient of the prestigious Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship, USA and also the ICAR-Lal Bahadur Shastri Outstanding Young Scientist Award. The mung bean improvement programme led by him at the IIPR has won him the Best Centre Award 2018. He is on board several reputed international research journals including Frontiers in Plant Science, Frontiers in Genetics, PLOS One, BMC Plant Biology, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution besides being the General Secretary of the Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development.

Professor Olubukola Oluranti Babalola (Pr.Sci.Nat, MASSAF, FASLP, FTWAS, FAS, FAAS, FISC), the Vice President of both the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) is an NRF-rated B2 internationally acclaimed scientist with over 21 years of research experience focusing on rhizosphere metagenomics, coupled with an MBA in General Management. Without reservation, she is the Research Director of the Food Security & Safety Focus Area at North-West University (NWU), South Africa, leading as the Head and Principal Investigator of a Microbial Ecology Research laboratory. Olubukola is a member of the editorial board for Microbiology Spectrum, Applied and Environmental Microbiology (American Society for Microbiology, USA), BMC Microbiology (Elsevier), Transgenic Research (Springer), and Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports (Elsevier). She is an International Advisor to F1000Research Plant Science Gateway, Nano-Horizon and Heliyon (Cell Press). Olubukola has received many awards, including being the finalist, GenderInSite 2020 and Clarivate highly cited research top 1% for field years 2022 and 2023. Recently, she received the 2024 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA). Olubukola joined NWU in 2009; at NWU, Olubukola is passionate about capacity building and has graduated 37 doctoral fellows, 25 masters, and numerous Honors students. Several of her PhD products are postdocs or staff in America, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Sweden, and the UK, also scattered over Africa. Prof Babalola is a prolific author with over 400 publications. She is an AAAS-TWAS Science diplomacy alumnus, impacting the world after the eye-opening awareness of policymaking, diplomacy, and diplomatic engagement. She is taking action using the gender lens and forging collaborations with diplomats. She is a fellow of The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF) and an honourary fellow of the International Science Council (ISC). Her wealth of international experience spans the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, 54 countries to be precise. She enjoys international collaborations globally, research grants, and many awards. Olubukola has an H-index of 77, with over 27,000 citations. Olubukola is #1 in Africa for Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. (https://www.adscientificindex.com/scientist.php?id=96341. Her recent Springer-edited book is "Food Security and Safety: Africa's Perspective." In 2018, she delivered her professorial inaugural lecture.