The Pulse CRSP contributes to economic growth and food
and nutrition security through knowledge and technology generation that strengthens pulse (e.g., bean, cowpea,
pigeon pea, etc.) value chains and enhances the capacity
and sustainability of agriculture research institutions which
serve pulse sectors in developing countries of Africa and
Latin America.

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Spotlights

“Enhancing Pulse Productivity,”
  Workshop at Penn State Helps Develop Future Research Goals

Leading international scientists, research program leaders, and stakeholders from developing countries in Africa, Latin America, and India met for the workshop “Enhancing Pulse Productivity on Problem Soils by Smallholder Farmers: Challenges and Opportunities” at Pennsylvania State University from August 14 to 18, 2011,  to identify the most effective research strategies to attain substantial, sustainable gains in the productivity of pulses by addressing soil and climatic constraints with a multidisciplinary approach to genetic improvement, phenomics, biological nitrogen fixation, systems analysis, and management.

An Executive Summary of the workshop is now available to the international research and donor community for consideration and includes analysis of the most effective means to attain substantial and sustainable gains in the productivity of pulses.

Continue reading on the conference . . .

Using biolistic technology with several anti-viral constructs originally developed by the Bean/CowPea CRSP project, a team of Brazilian researchers has successfully cultivated a GMO bean with excellent virus resistance, particularly to the “Golden Mosaic” virus transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. The work represents a successful public-sector effort to develop useful crop traits for a product grown by poor farmers and consumed by millions of people in Brazil.

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