By Scout Nelson
Nanoy Badillo, a professor at North Dakota State University (NDSU), is leading a pulse crop breeding program that's making significant strides in the agriculture industry. With pulse crops being a significant part of the agricultural economy, the program's focus is on developing disease-resistant varieties and enhancing breeding efficiency.
The NDSU team recently released several new varieties, including a chickpea called ND Crown, notable for its moderate resistance to Ascochyta blight, a major disease affecting chickpea production. Additionally, the team has introduced new varieties of yellow pea (ND Dawn) and green pea (ND Victory), both featuring high protein content, which is a critical factor in crop marketability.
Badillo's program is particularly focused on overcoming the challenges of Ascochyta blight. By comparing ND Crown with Canada's CDC Orion, another moderately-resistant variety, the team found ND Crown to be more effective in reducing disease severity. There's also an ongoing effort to develop larger chickpeas suitable for the canning industry.
Apart from chickpeas, the program is working on improving lentil varieties. The goal is to replace the widely used CDC Richlea lentil with newer, more efficient varieties. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to meet market demands for high-protein peas.
The use of advanced technology is a cornerstone of the program. Drones and rovers are employed for efficient field scanning and data collection, significantly enhancing the breeding process's speed and accuracy.
Kyle Dragseth, NDSU Foundation seedstocks manager, highlighted the expected availability of ND Crown for producers in the spring of 2024. This release represents a significant step forward in providing farmers with more robust and productive crop options.
NDSU's pulse breeding program is a pillar of innovation in agriculture, offering new solutions to longstanding challenges in crop production and disease management. This progress is not only beneficial for farmers in North Dakota but also for the global agricultural community.
Photo Credit - north-dakota-state-university
Categories: North Dakota, Crops