The Lentil Genome

Dr. Jitendra Kumar, is Principal Scientist in the Division of Crop Improvement at Indian Institute of Pluses research, Kanpur. He has more than 17 years of research experience in plant breeding using both conventional and molecular marker-assisted breeding approaches on various crops. He contributed to the development of more than 1703 intron spanning markers in lentil. A significant contribution has been made by him in yield traits in lentil. Dr. Kumar also studied the genetics of important traits of lentil leading to the development of a number of prebreeding lines for genetic improvement in lentil. He also developed a candidate set of lentil germplasms and RIL mapping populations for traits related to biotic and abiotic stresses. His current research priorities include use of the molecular marker technology in conventional lentil breeding program for making genetic improvement towards biotic and abiotic stresses. Dr. Debjyoti Sen Gupta is Scientist (Sr. Scale) at ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research in Kanpur, India. He was one of the ICAR International Fellow and received his Ph.D. at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo, USA in 2015. He bred 10 varieties of urdbean and lentil and many are in breeding pipeline. He also has developed several registered donors in mungbean and urdbean for many important agronomic traits. He has authored more than 35 research articles, several review articles and many book chapters in the peer-reviewed journals and books from Wiley, Springer, CABI, Elsevier. He is also Fellow of Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development and many professional associations. Dr. Shiv Kumar holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding with expertise in crop improvement through resistance breeding, widening the genetic base through pre-breeding, and development of genetic and genomic resources in food legumes.

During his 30 year career, he has collaborated internationally, has contributed in development of 51 lentil varieties and published numerous scientific contributions. He is a Fellow of the International Legumes Society, Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding, and Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development and has received academic distinctions, fellowships including Rockefeller, and awards from national and international organizations/societies in recognition of his contribution in food legumes

Dr. Kumar leads ICARDA's Food legumes program whose aim is to deliver improved germplasm of lentil, kabuli chickpea, faba bean and grass pea to partners in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia, and North Africa.