"Swetha is the first kabuli variety ever released in peninsular India, and Kranthi is an improved desi variety. The release of these varieties was possible largely due to the crusading efforts of the then Agricultural Production Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Ramakanth Reddy. His crucial decision led to the historic introduction of kabuli type chickpea cultivation in peninsular India", says Dr Jagdish Kumar, ICRISAT Senior Chickpea Breeder.

In Andhra Pradesh chickpea cultivation spread from 60 000 hectares in 1990 to 168 000 hectares in 1995. Its production rose sharply from 20 000 tonnes to 136 000 tonnes during the same period. It meant almost a seven-fold increase in production with a three-fold jump in the area under chickpea. The productivity increased from about 400 kg per hectare to over 800 kg per hectare. However, mean yields for individual districts varied widely from 400 kg per hectare in Adilabad, to over 1500 kg per hectare in Prakasam district, according to Dr Satyanarayana.

This silent pulse revolution in Andhra Pradesh was attributed to the introduction of improved short-duration and Fusarium wilt- resistant varieties which did well with limited available moisture and to the good price chickpea fetched. Much of the seeds spread through farmer-to-farmer exchange encouraged by the Lam station. The Andhra Pradesh State Seeds Development Corporation also helped in the production and distribution of quality seed of the improved varieties.

Chickpea as a winter pulse crop has gained considerable importance in the past few years in peninsular India. Traditionally, it was not an important pulse crop in the region. But with the availability of improved chickpea cultivars, better market prospects and higher prices in the domestic market during the past few years, farmers responded favorably towards chickpea cultivation.

Andhra Pradesh is one state in the region which witnessed a dramatic change in chickpea cultivation. Production of chickpea in the state increased at an annual rate of more than 20% in the last 5 years. Productivity rose from an average of 400 kg to 800 kg per hectare. Area expansion also contributed to enhanced production.

Recent trends indicate that the chickpea area in the State, which at present is less than 10% of the gross cropped area, will further grow because its cultivation is rapidly declining in traditional areas of northern India, and because of the development of suitable improved cultivars. According to Drs Ma Cynthia S Bantilan and PK Joshi, Economists, Socioeconomics and Policy Division at ICRISAT, who led a team of scientists to study the rate of adoption of improved cultivars in India and other parts of Asia, the new cultivars are popular because they are high-yielding, resistant to diseases (particularly Fusarium wilt which is a common problem in hot and dry climate) and which escape drought because of their short growing season.

Ironically, chickpea research results in the 1970s were not promising, and its production and yields at the global level did not change much. ICRISAT took up the challenge and gave high priority to chickpea research since its inception in 1972. The research emphasis was directed at alleviating production constraints under rainfed conditions and, for the most part, in low-input farming systems. Fusarium wilt, pod borer and drought were rated as extremely important constraints for crops grown between 0 and 20 degrees latitude

These constraints inflict serious yield losses and destabilize production. Chemical measures to control pests and diseases were known but most of them were not economical. Similarly, provision of irrigation can alleviate drought but irrigation water is scarce, and not often available to chickpea in the semi-arid tropics. ICRISAT adopted a constructive approach to the alleviation of these problems through the use of genetic resistance or tolerance to individual stress factors.

At ICRISAT Asia Center research efforts to develop short and medium duration desi and kabuli chickpea with stable and high yields and good consumer acceptance were initiated. The multi-disciplinary research within ICRISAT and with its collaborators resulted in the release of cultivars in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Myanmar, and Nepal in the late 1980s and early 1990s.