Recent developments in transgenics for abiotic stress in legumes of the semi-arid tropics

摘要: The semi-arid tropics (SAT) are characterized by unpredictable weather, limited and erratic rainfall nutrient poor soils suffer from a host of agricultural constraints. Several biotic abiotic stresses affect crop productivity. Mandated crops ICRISAT that include groundnut, pigeonpea, chickpea, sorghum, pearl millet the main staple foods for nearly one billion people in SAT. Judicious application biotechnological tools holds great potential alleviating some major constraints to productivity these crops. Gains through research advances genetic enhancement will help achieve sustainable food security, poverty alleviation, environmental protection SAT. has commitment transfer benefits plant biotechnology to developing world, as genes relevant their environment become available. Genetic transformation provides a complimentary means betterment genome these crops. Therefore, transgenic offers new means ICRISAT's mission, i.e., applying science improve agriculture areas world where sub-optimal and biotic In this pursuit, efficient protocols the important legumes SAT including pigeonpea chickpea have recently been developed at ICRISAT. More recently, in collaboration with our partners, we initiated work on development plants that include drought, salinity low temperatures. gene approaches shown stress tolerance plants. The transferred include those encoding enzymes required biosynthesis various osmoprotectants, or encoding enzymes modifying membrane lipids, LEA proteins, detoxification enzyme, stress-inducible transcription factors been demonstrated potential. This paper reviews current status technology improvement of legumes it's possible enhanced tolerance/resistance stresses.