How wide is the Genetic Base of Pulse Crops

Abstract

Genetic base as revealed by the pedigree records of released varieties appears to be narrow in major pulse crops because of the frequent use of the same parents and their derivatives in breeding programmes. Pedigree analysis of 86 chickpea cultivars that have been released through hybridization in the country traced back to 95 ancestors. This appears to be insignificant part of the germplasm accessions conserved in various gene banks around the world.