Abstract
Cultivated forage legumes and range legumes are crucial for the nutritional security for mankind as they are integral component for increased availability of animal protein and product which has higher biological value than the plant proteins. Genetic improvement programme in forages in general and forage legumes in particular could not gain due impetus probably due to the nature of the crop and also because the economically important plant part is vegetative biomass. Although crop specific objectives need to be taken care of, forage legumes have some common problems and possible strategies. In the present article, common issues as well as crop specific improvement issues are discussed. The common improvement objectives include utilization of plant genetic resource and broadening genetic base; enhancing digestive quality; tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress; quality seed production in cultivated species while specific features such as increased persistence, tolerance to abiotic stresses, easy establishment, good seeding ability and grazing tolerance among range species. Developing terminal drought tolerant, early maturing, pest tolerant and erect type Cowpea; drought tolerant dual purpose Guar; moisture stress tolerance with standing ability and harvestability, disease/pest resistance and tolerance to herbicide in field pea and forage pea; short duration, resistance to biotic stress and low β-ODAP content in grass pea; drought and biotic stress tolerance in addition to increased biomass yield in Rice bean, perennial soybean, Vicia sativa, Faba bean; improved drought tolerance, anthracnose resistance, nutritional parameters such as high methionine and regenerative potential in Stylosanthes; high tillering quick regeneration, cold and drought tolerance, diseases and pest resistance in Lucerne and broadening genetic base, improved first cut yield, root rot and stem rot resistance and dry matter content in Egyptian clover could be some of the objective in major crops.
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