India is the world’s largest producer of pulses with 23.24 million tonnes from an acreage of 34.99 million hectares with a productivity of 664 kg/ha during 2017-18 (FAOSTAT, 2019). On global context, India occupies the first and the foremost position in area (36.8 %) and production (24.2 %) in pulses (2017-18). On acreage, India is followed by Niger (5.6 %), Canada (4.7 %), Myanmar (4.6 %), Nigeria (4.1 %), China (3.1 %) and Brazil (2.9 %). In terms of pulses production, Canada (9.1 %) is followed by Myanmar (7.4 %), China (5.2 %) and Russia federation (4.4 %). However in terms of productivity, Russian Federation (2008 kg/ha) ranks first followed by Canada (1964 kg/ha), Ethiopia (1810 kg/ha) and Australia (1759 kg/ha).
Pulses are commonly grown rainfed condition all over India (87 % rainfed) during both kharif season (rainy season) (pigeonpea (Cajans cajan L. Millsp), cowpea, mungbean and urdbean) and the rabi season (winter-spring) (chickpea, lentil, fieldpea and rajmash). The crop is also grown during spring or summer (mungbean and urdbean) in some of the regions, In India, over a dozen of pulse crops are grown of which few have prominent role in occupying major areas. These include chickpea (46%), pigeonpea (16%), mungbean (10%), urdbean (10%) and lentil (6%). As these are generally grown in rainfed areas under pitiable management condition and face various kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses, both the productivity and overall production of the pulses in India continues to be low. Besides this, nutrient deficient soils, unfavourable weather and perceived climate change, quality seeds unavailability, socio-economic limitations, improper and inadequate postharvest handling & storage and insufficient market support are the major constraints in realizing potential of production/productivity gains in these pulses. In spite of these factors, pulses have witnessed several technological backups that have helped not only in its spread in new niches but also made impressive productive gains. Field surveys show that in recent past a good number of improved varieties of pulses have been released for cultivation altering the seed replacement rate b improved strains in India. Besides introduction of new varieties, improved water and other input management has made considerable gain in production and productivity of pulses