An overview of the current fodder scenario and the potential for improving fodder productivity through genetic interventions in India

Fodder crops are cultivated to feed livestock in the form of forage, silage and hay. The total area under cultivated fodders in India is 8.4 mha on individual crop basis. India is maintaining about 15% of total livestock population of the world in 2.29% of the global land area. At present, the country faces a net deficit of 35.6% green fodder, 10.95% dry crop residues and 44% concentrate feeds. The deficit may further rise due to consistent growth of livestock population at the rate of 1.23% in near future. It is, therefore, imperative that forage production and its quality must be augmented to improve productivity of livestock. The expansion of fodder cultivation area seems to be very low and fodder yields have touched plateau in most of forage crops. Even then, there is a great scope to enhance the forage productivity through crop improvement activities focused on development of dual type grain and fodder crop varieties, stay green maize/sorghum varieties and application of biotechnological tools to evolve genetically engineered improved varieties which are tolerant to abiotic and biotic stresses. Forage crop improvement also needs to be focused on understanding of species relationships, genome structure and chromosomal constitution, extent of gene exchange/recombination, putative parentage and nature of polyploidy along with normal breeding programs.