Cajanus Cajan Research Articles

Genome wide association study of antioxidant activity in pigeonpea germplasm

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) is a nutritious crop with antioxidant potential, making it valuable for health supplements and medicinal products. Pigeonpea seed coat possess a rich source of antioxidant properties, particularly in dark colour seed coat varieties. Recently, antioxidant-based drugs for the prevention and treatment of complex diseases have evoked a great deal of research interest in natural antioxidants. We resolved genomic regions by conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a high-throughput 62 K SNP “CcSNPnks” genic chip to identify SNP markers associated with antioxidant properties in 287 diverse panel of pigeonpea genotypes. Evaluated their antioxidant activity using a spectrophotometric technique based on ferric ion-reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and calculated the gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 g of extract. Significant differences in antioxidant activities were found among genotypes, ranging from 3.27 mg in ICPL-13271 to 16.85 mg in UP 9-I for ferric iron-reducing activity. The GWAS identified four distinct marker trait association (MTA) that exhibit a strong correlation with antioxidant properties. We identified significant marker trait associations with chr 2 (AX-165372487), chr 6 (AX-165348296) code for RGA1 protein, chr 10 (AX-165367685) codes for alkaline ceramidase (transcript variant), and chr 11 (AX-165411944) codes for (DL)-glycerol-3-phosphatase 2. The identified protein, RGA1, is involved in reducing ROS accumulation in response to stress by up-regulating the transcription of superoxide dismutases. It suppresses GA-induced vegetative growth and floral initiation. Rapidly degraded in response to GA and involved in fruit and flower development. Furthermore, the population structure analysis identified four distinct sub-populations with admixture types, effectively grouping all genotypes based on their ancestry. Our findings advance the understanding of the genetic underpinning antioxidant concentrations, holding potential for applications in crop breeding and aligning with consumer preferences. This study provides a cornerstone for future research into exploiting marker-assisted breeding to produce pigeonpea cultivars.

Dynamics of productivity in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] in subtropical Australia

AbstractPigeonpea productivity can be enhanced by optimally matching the physiology of genotypes to environmental conditions. Information on crop responses to the environment has been lacking for the short‐duration pigeonpea genotypes, which are being trialed to develop the Australian pigeonpea industry. The objective of this study was to examine the dynamics of productivity in relation to radiation use efficiency (RUE) and its influence on yield partitioning. Seven field trials, employing three pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.). Millsp.] genotypes, were established at the Gatton Campus, the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 summer seasons. The study reveals that leaf area development, influenced by growing environment, genotypes, and their interactions, were the key factors for the differences in leaf area duration and RUE. Pigeonpea planted in December had higher seasonal (1.11 g MJ−1) as well as reproductive (0.71 g MJ−1) RUE, resulting in significant differences in total dry matter (TDM) and grain yield (GY). GY was positively associated with seasonal RUE (R2 = 0.62), and the relationship was stronger (R2 = 0.83) for the reproductive phase (RUE(R)). The positive association between GY and RUE(R) suggested that maintaining optimum leaf area during the grain filling period is crucial to achieve higher productivity. Variations in GY were related to amount and rate of TDM accumulation before flowering (R2 = 0.51 and R2 = 0.53, respectively). Hence, achieving greater TDM before flowering was determinant for achieving higher productivity. The present study provided updated information on dynamics of productivity that will enable more comprehensive modelling of pigeonpea adaptation under subtropical conditions.

Assessing the Growth and Yield Metrics of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) as Affected by Foliar Nutrient Management

An experiment titled was conducted at the Agriculture Research Station, Badnapur, Maharashtra, under Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during the kharif season of July 2018-19. The primary objective was to assess the impact of foliar nutrition on the growth, yield, and economic performance of pigeonpea. The study was designed using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten different treatments and three replications, utilizing the BDN-716 variety of Pigeonpea. The total rainfall received during crop season was 437 mm.The findings indicated that applying RDF combined with a 2% solution of DAP and Multimicronutrient at a rate of 2 ml/litre during 50% flowering resulted in the highest plant height (150 cm), number of branches (14.33), functional leaves (96.67), dry matter accumulation (143.33), pod count (73.67), pod weight per plant (52.67 g), seed yield per plant (38.67 kg/ha), 100-seed weight (14 g), and overall seed yield (1650 kg/ha). It also yielded the highest straw yield (4100 kg/ha), biological yield (5750 kg/ha), harvest index (28.69). This was followed closely by the application of RDF with 2% urea and Multimicronutrient spray at 2 ml/litre. RDF (25:50:00 NPK kg/ha) in combination with 2% DAP and multimicronutrient @ 2 ml/litre spray was found to be the best treatment for enhancing overall growth and yield of pigeonpea.

Priming effect of pigeon pea and wood biochar on carbon mineralization of native soil organic carbon and applied municipal solid waste compost

A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted for 36 days to study the effect of pigeon pea biochar (PPB) and wood biochar (WB) on carbon mineralization of native soil organic carbon (SOC) and municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) applied to soil. The MSWC addition enhanced soil respiration by 2-fold (231 mg C kg-1 soil) over the control (118 mg C kg-1 soil). The PPB addition significantly (P < 0.05) increased cumulative loss of carbon as CO2, whereas WB significantly decreased the cumulative loss of C over control. Addition of PPB at 5% and 10% levels increased SOC mineralization (positive priming) +22.9% and +31.2%, respectively; whereas reduction in SOC mineralization (negative priming) was noticed in WB (5% and 10%) treated soils by -3.1% and -21.7%, respectively. Similarly, WB induced strong negative priming effects (-21.9% and -29.5%), while PPB caused a weak positive priming effect (+3.0% and +11.6%) at 5% and 10% levels on mineralization of added labile carbon substrate (MSWC), respectively. Results indicate the hardwood (Prosopis juliflora) biochar exhibits refractory properties that inhibit mineralization of both native SOC and applied organic compost (MSWC), and thereby it can be used as an amendment to stabilize native and applied organic matter in soil, which may significantly contribute to soil carbon sequestration.

Management of maize-legume conservation agriculture systems rather than varietal choice fosters human nutrition in Malawi

Malawi smallholder farmers are facing climate-induced challenges that have increased food and nutrition insecurity in the country, thus sustainable intensification practices has been widely recommended. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of cropping systems with improved varieties on total system productivity and nutrition under different environments. The study involved on-farm experiments in ten communities in Central and Southern Malawi, incrementally established from 2005/2006 to 2018/2019 cropping seasons. Each community had six demonstration plots with three main treatments: conventional ploughing (CP): sole maize grown on seasonally constructed ridges and furrows; no-tillage (NT): sole maize grown on retained ridges with minimum soil disturbance and residue retained; and Conservation agriculture (CA): maize intercropped either cowpea, pigeon pea or groundnut on retained ridges as in NT. Our results show that total system nutrition was higher in CA treatments than NT and CP. The yields of maize were at least 800 kg ha−1 higher in CA and NT than CP despite the variety that was grown. Legume yields were also higher under CA and NT than CP. High protein yield was observed in CA systems (at least 100 kg ha−1 higher than CP) where maize and legume intercrops were rotated with grain legumes. Our results show nutrients and energy gains in CA and NT systems that can be invested in practices that increases the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change. Conservation agriculture and NT systems have more influence on productivity of smallholder farms, despite the genotypes used (hybrids or OPVs).

Assessment of the Incidence of Pigeon Pea Leaf Webber, Grapholita critica (Meyr.) and Roller, Caloptilia soyella (Van.) in Relation to Weather Variables in the Bundelkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh

Assessment of the Incidence of Pigeon Pea Leaf Webber, Grapholita critica (Meyr.) and Roller, Caloptilia soyella (Van.) in Relation to Weather Variables in the Bundelkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh

Influence of germination time on free amino acids, phenolic compounds and γ-aminobutyric acid in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) seeds

This research studied the influence of phytochemical compounds on the germination time of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth). Over the 72 hours germination period, the contents of total and most individual free amino acids, particularly histidine, showed substantial increases. The content of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was also greatly increased, from 0.24 µg/g to 2.7 µg/g, representing a nearly ninefold increase. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were positively related with germination time, with TPC highest at 62.49 mg GAE/100 g DW at 72 h, and TFC increased from 18.87 mg RE/100 g DW to 30.05 mg RE/100g.DW at 72 hours. The contents of individual phenolic acids and flavonoids, such as, protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and rutin, experienced noticeable increases. However, vanillic and catechin were only detectable at 72 hours, respectively. Antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH and FRAP assays increased from 102.30 to 128.95 mgTE/100g DW and 694.13 to 836.93 mg FeSO4/100g DW mmol/g, respectively, and therefore highlighting the enhanced antioxidant potential of germinated pigeon pea. The results from Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) supported these findings. The study emphasizes the potential of germination to enhance the phytochemical compounds of pigeon pea seeds.

Impacts of Varying Sowing Dates on the Profitability and Production of Cultivars of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Mill sp.)

At the experimental farm of the College of Agriculture, Badnapur, VNMKV, Parbhani, a suitable range of field experiments were done during the kharif season, with an optimal time of sowing. The experiment was carried out using five varieties in the sub plot, V1-BSMR-736, V2-BSMR-853, V3-BDN-711, V4-BDN-708, and V5-Vipula, and four sowing dates in the main plot, D1: (15 th June), D2: (30 th June), D3: (15 th July), and D4: (30th July). The soil had a medium-black color, a clayey texture, a high base saturation level, an alkaline reaction, and a higher concentration of total soluble salts. It also had low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and high levels of potassium and lime. The dibbling method of sowing was used. According to the experiment's results, sowing of pigeonpea on June 15 th was the best date to achieve greater yield metrics, specifically number of pods per plant, pod weight plant-1 (g), grain weight plant-1 (g), and test weight (g). in addition to economic indicators including GMR (119080 Rs ha-1), NMR (96573 Rs ha-1), and B:C (5.29), in addition to harvest index (HI), biological yield (kg ha-1) and seed yield (kg ha-1). Comparatively speaking to the other kinds, the pigeonpea variety BSMR-736 was shown to be very prolific.

PANGAN FUNGSIONAL DARI TEMPE NON-KEDELAI

Tempeh is a functional food product which is generally made from soybeans. Until now, the need for soybeans is still largely met by imports. Therefore, it is necessary to study the potential of raw materials from non-soybeans from domestic production to replace soybeans. The aim of this review is to determine the potential of non-soybeans in processing tempeh as a functional food. Various non-soybean varieties such as jack beans, green beans, pigeon peas, lamtoro beans, red beans, peanuts, black soybeans, and saga beans, can be used as an alternative to soybeans as a raw material for making tempeh. The process for making tempeh from non-soybeans is in principle the same as the process for making tempeh from soybeans, the differences are in the length of soaking, boiling/steaming and fermentation. The potential protein content in non-soy tempeh has many benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds. This non-soybean raw material has the potential to be developed as an alternative raw material to substitute soybeans in making tempeh..

Insights into cellular crosstalk regulating cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration.

Cytoplasmic male sterility has been a popular genetic tool in development of hybrids. The molecular mechanism behind maternal sterility varies from crop to crop. An understanding of underlying mechanism can help in development of new functional CMS gene in crops which lack effective and stable CMS systems. In crops where seed or fruit is the commercial product, fertility must be recovered in F1 hybrids so that higher yield gains can be realized. This necessitates the presence of fertility restorer gene (Rf) in nucleus of male parent to overcome the effect of sterile cytoplasm. Fertility restoring genes have been identified in crops like wheat, maize, sunflower, rice, pepper, sugar beet, pigeon pea etc. But in crops like eggplant, bell pepper, barley etc. unstable fertility restorers hamper the use of Cytoplasmic genic male sterility (CGMS) system. Stability of CGMS system is influenced by environment, genetic background or interaction of these factors. This review thus aims to understand the genetic mechanisms controlling mitochondrial-nuclear interactions required to design strong and stable restorers without any pleiotropic effects in F1 hybrids.

Sterility Mosaic Disease of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth): Current Status, Disease Management Strategies, and Future Prospects.

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is one of the important grain legume crops cultivated in the semi-arid tropics, playing a crucial role in the economic well-being of subsistence farmers. India is the major producer of pigeonpea, accounting for over 75% of the world's production. Sterility mosaic disease (SMD), caused by Pigeonpea sterility mosaic virus (PPSMV) and transmitted by the eriophyid mite (Aceria cajani), is a major constraint to pigeonpea cultivation in the Indian subcontinent, leading to potential yield losses of up to 100%. The recent characterization of another Emaravirus associated with SMD has further complicated the etiology of this challenging viral disease. This review focuses on critical areas, including the current status of the disease, transmission and host-range, rapid phenotyping techniques, as well as available disease management strategies. The review concludes with insights into the future prospects, offering an overview and direction for further research and management strategies.

Genomic insights into cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) gene family, identification, phylogeny and synteny analysis for its possible role in regulating seed number in Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.)

Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) regulates cytokinin levels in plants which are vital for plant growth and development. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding their role in controlling embryo/seed development in pigeonpea. This comprehensive study provides information on the identification and characterization of CKX genes in pigeonpea. A genome-wide analysis identified 18 CKX genes, each with distinct structure, expression patterns, and possible diverse functions. Domain analysis revealed the presence of the sequences including FAD and CK-Binding domain, and subcellular localization analysis showed that almost 50 % of them reside within the nucleus. They were observed to be located unevenly on chromosome numbers 2, 4, 6, 7, and 11 with a majority of them present on the scaffolds. The 8 homologous pairs and various orthologous gene pairs provided further insights into their evolution pattern. Further, SNP/Indels variation in CKX genes and haplotype groups among contrasting genotypes for SNPP (seed number per pod) were analyzed. Spatiotemporal expression analysis revealed the significant expression pattern of CcCKX15, CcCKX17, and CcCKX2 in genotypes carrying low SNPP reiterating their possible role as negative regulators. These genes can be potential targets to undertake seed and biomass improvement in pigeonpea.

Comparison of the Agronomic Performance between a Pigeonpea Hybrid and Five Breeding Lines Developed through Conventional Breeding

Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill.] may have cross- or self-pollination that allows the use of hybrids or improved genotypes by conventional breeding approaches in pigeonpea production. The objectives of this research were to: 1) compare the agronomic performance of a hybrid vs. breeding lines (BLs) developed by pedigree and bulk methods, and 2) determine if there were average and useful heterosis and heterobeltiosis for quantitative traits. The hybrid 13KLAF1 and UPE-1, UPE-2, UPE-3, UPE-4, UPE-5 BLs, their parents (13KPP-264-05 and ‘Lázaro’), and one early maturity check ‘ICPL 86012’ were evaluated in field trials in Isabela and Lajas, PR. Data of plant height, days to flowering and harvest, seed yield, and weight of 100 dry-seeds were noted for all genotypes. There were no significant differences between 13KLAF1 and UPE BLs for plant height in both locations. ‘Lázaro’ was late maturity in Isabela (157 days) and Lajas (124 days), as expected. The weight of 100 seeds for all genotypes did not reach values more than 18.5 and 16.3 g such as those observed for 13KPP-264-05 in Isabela and Lajas, respectively. The higher seed yields were observed for 13KLAF1 (3112 kg·ha−1), UPE-4 (2970 kg·ha−1), and ‘ICPL 86012’ (2739 kg·ha−1) in Isabela, whereas 13KLAF1 (1599 kg·ha−1) and ‘ICPL 86012’ (1450 kg·ha−1) produced the higher yields in Lajas. The 13KLAF1 showed an average heterosis and heterobeltiosis of 87% and 60%, and 78% and 30% for seed yield in Isabela and Lajas, respectively. The useful heterosis was >125% in both locations.

Combined effect of phosphorus, sulphur and biofertilizers on plant development, yield attributes, production and quality of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp)

Combined effect of phosphorus, sulphur and biofertilizers on plant development, yield attributes, production and quality of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp)

Study on cost of cultivation and economic returns from red gram BDN 711 crop in Marathwada central region of Maharashtra

Study on cost of cultivation and economic returns from red gram BDN 711 crop in Marathwada central region of Maharashtra

Influence of nano urea on growth, yield and quality of pigeon pea

Influence of nano urea on growth, yield and quality of pigeon pea

Chromosome-scale reference genome of an ancient landrace: unveiling the genetic basis of seed weight in the food legume crop pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan).

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is a nutrient-rich and versatile food legume crop of tropical and subtropical regions. In this study, we describe the de novo assembly of a high-quality genome for the ancient pigeonpea landrace 'D30', achieved through a combination of Pacific Biosciences high-fidelity (PacBio HiFi) and high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing technologies. The assembled 'D30' genome has a size of 813.54Mb, with a contig N50 of 10.74Mb, a scaffold N50 of 73.07Mb, and a GC content of 35.67%. Genomic evaluation revealed that the 'D30' genome contains 99.2% of Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) and achieves a 29.06 long terminal repeat (LTR) assembly index (LAI). Genome annotation indicated that 'D30' encompasses 431.37Mb of repeat elements (53.02% of the genome) and 37 977 protein-coding genes. Identification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions/deletions (indels), and structural variations between 'D30' and the published genome of pigeonpea cultivar 'Asha' suggests that genes affected by these variations may play important roles in biotic and abiotic stress responses. Further investigation of genomic regions under selection highlights genes enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism, with 42.11% of these genes highly expressed in seeds. Finally, we conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to facilitate the identification of 28 marker-trait associations for six agronomic traits of pigeonpea. Notably, we discovered a calmodulin-like protein (CcCML) that harbors a dominant haplotype associated with the 100-seed weight of pigeonpea. Our study provides a foundational resource for developing genomics-assisted breeding programs in pigeonpea.

Impact of cluster frontline demonstration on increasing productivity and profitability of pigeonpea in Bihar

The present investigation was conducted on cluster frontline demonstration (CFLD) on pigeonpea with improved pigeon pea varieties (Malviya Chamawtkar or MAL-13, LRG-41 and IPA-203) in Kharif season over three at 104 farmer’s field covering 40 ha rainfed/upland areas of 12 villages of Bhagalpur district to know the field gap, technology gap, extension gap, economic return, the extent of farmer’s satisfaction and constraints faced by the farmers, especially pigeon pea growers. Based on three years’ mean data the highest pigeon pea yield (16.98 q/ha) was received from the demonstration plot, which was 39.6% higher as compared to existing common farmers’ practice. Extension gap, technology gap, and technological index were found as 4.82 q/ha, 5.51 q/ha, and 23.8%, respectively. The highest net return (Rs. 80,292/ha) and B:C ratio (3.75) were also calculated in CFLD technology as compared to existing common farmers’ practices.

Comparison of Techno-Functional Properties and Chemical Composition of Three Pigeon Pea Varieties for Their Potential as Frying Coating Batter

ABSTRACT The pigeon pea has high nutritional value and for diversifying utilization of sustainable legume crop i.e pigeon pea, for making alternative products with high nutritional value is an utmost to provide nutrient-rich food to the proving population. The present work focused on a comparative assessment of three pigeon pea varieties namely PAU 881, AL 882, and AL 201. The whole pigeon pea was assessed for test weight, coefficient of internal/external friction, angle of repose, and the pigeon pea flour was assessed for moisture, crude fat, crude protein, ash, crude fiber, carbohydrates, mineral content, fatty acid profile, foaming capacity, emulsification activity, pasting properties, and thermal properties. Further, batter was prepared using pigeon pea flour and water in the ratio of 1:1.6 (w/v) and analyzed rheological behavior of standard frying coating batter. The results revealed that the pigeon pea varieties had significant differences in proximate composition and functional properties. The pasting properties of AL 201 pigeon pea variety were significantly lower than the other pigeon pea varieties. In particular, the PAU 881 pigeon pea variety exhibited a better nutritional quality including macro and micro minerals. Moreover, the rheological parameters of PAU 881 were found better than the other two, indicating its potential for the preparation of frying coating batter like chickpea flour. Since chickpeas are widely used as a coating batter in a variety of products, underutilized pulses like pigeon pea are being investigated to see what potential they may have. This study will pave the future way of research and provide holistic view of approach to develop technology and engineering mechanization for various food products development.

Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of growth‑regulating factor (GRF) and GRF‑interacting factor (GIF) gene families in chickpea and pigeonpea

The growth-regulating factor (GRF) and GRF-interacting factor (GIF) families encode plant-specific transcription factors and play vital roles in plant development and stress response processes. Although GRF and GIF genes have been identified in various plant species, there have been no reports of the analysis and identification of the GRF and GIF transcription factor families in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). The present study identified seven CaGRFs, eleven CcGRFs, four CaGIFs, and four CcGIFs. The identified proteins were grouped into eight and three clades for GRFs and GIFs, respectively based on their phylogenetic relationships. A comprehensive in-silico analysis was performed to determine chromosomal location, sub-cellular localization, and types of regulatory elements present in the putative promoter region. Synteny analysis revealed that GRF and GIF genes showed diploid-polyploid topology in pigeonpea, but not in chickpea. Tissue-specific expression data at the vegetative and reproductive stages of the plant showed that GRFs and GIFs were strongly expressed in tissues like embryos, pods, and seeds, indicating that GRFs and GIFs play vital roles in plant growth and development. This research characterized GRF and GIF families and hints at their primary roles in the chickpea and pigeonpea growth and developmental process. Our findings provide potential gene resources and vital information on GRF and GIF gene families in chickpea and pigeonpea, which will help further understand the regulatory role of these gene families in plant growth and development.