ROLE OF PARTIAL CLEISTOGAMY IN MAINTAINING GENETIC PURITY OF PIGEONPEA

Natural out-crossing in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) leads t o genetic deterioration and in certain environments the out-crossing m ay be as high as 70%. Studies with partially cleistogamous lines deriv ed from an inter-generic cross indicated that average natural out-cros sing in these lines was much lower (2.5%) than that reported earlier f or pigeonpea (36.5%) at ICRISAT Center. Based on seed yield and diseas e resistance, potential parents such as ICPL 87154 in short-duration d eterminate, ICPL 87018 in short-duration indeterminate, and ICPL 87159 in medium-duration indeterminate groups have been identified for intr ogression of the partially cleistogamous trait into pigeonpea.