Raising productivity of pulses in diverse agro-ecologies of North East Hill region of India -A case study

Time-bound promotion of pulses in strategically located northeast region of India needs a focus on developing and evaluating high yielding varieties of pulses with resistance to major biotic stresses for normal as well as late sown conditions. Suitability of these varieties calls for tactical release, production, distribution and adoption of varieties of pulses specific to rainfed areas amalgamated with improved agronomy. A two-years study with the aim of promoting pulses in NEH region during 2014-16 revealed that across 4 locations in this region, higher crop performance in terms of grain yield and its attributes was with chickpea ‘PUSA 372’ (1386 kg/ha) followed by ‘IPC 97-67’ (1365 kg/ha). Superior performance of lentil ‘DPL 62’ (1197 kg/ha) was also realized across 7 locations in NEH region which necessitated the varietal promotion and its popularization there. Similarly, superior performance of fieldpea ‘AMAN’ (1290 kg/ha) was observed across 5 locations (Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya) while,‘TRCP 9’ was better adapted to Assam and Tripura conditions. Fababean varieties were successfully evaluated at Imphal, Manipur which indicated superiority of its genotype ‘Patna 6’ (891 kg/ha) over the rest of the varieties due to higher 100 seed weight (23.6 g).This genotype also performed better over two popular varieties (viz.,‘Swarna Suraksha’ and ‘Swarna Gaurav’). Evaluation of mungbean varieties sown during pre-kharif indicated improved performance of ‘HUM 12’ and ‘IPM 2-14’in at least three locations with the highest average productivity of 1072 and 1057 kg/ha, respectively across four locations. Seed production in pulses to the tune of 1890 kg fieldpea, 3390 kg lentil, 28000 kg rajmash, 840 kg mungbean & 1100 kg urdbean (a total of 35220 kg out of which 3120 kg was breeder seed and the rest were truthfully levelled) were produced at 3 NEH locations viz., Lembucherra (Tripura), Shillongani (Assam) and Imphal (Manipur) during 2015-16. It is inferred from the study that these suitable varieties of pulses, when popularized and adopted, could go a long way in raising the production and productivity of pulses in these constraint areas of the country.