IPA 203 – a variety of long duration pigeonpea identified for NEPZ

In the recently concluded meeting of variety identification committee on May 13, 2012 during Annual Group Meet on pigeonpea at UAS, Bengaluru, IPA 203 has been identified for North East Plain Zone. The variety has been derived from a cross ‘Bahar x Ac 314-314’ followed by pedigree method of selection. It has shown high grain yield (11.2% yield advantage over the best check ‘MA 6’, 15.5% over ‘Narendra Arhar-1’, 24.9% over ‘Bahar’ and 28.5% over ‘MAL-13’ in the North East Plain Zone). It is widely adaptable with an average yield of 1949 kg/ha. It matures in 246 days. Seeds are brown, attractive and extra-large (12.4g/100 seeds). Seeds contain high protein content (23.02%). It is resistant to most of the variants of pathogens causing wilt, SMD and Phytophthora blight in the NEPZ. It has very good milling attributes having 87.13, 0.10 and 12.78 per cents cotyledon, germ and husk, respectively.