Genetically pulse crops are self pollinated. But cross pollination also occurred in pegion pea, fababean and grasspea in some extent. Hybrid can only develop by crossing between two genetically distant varieties of similar species or by two genetically distant species of similar genus. But in case of pulses it is very tough to have genetically distant variety/wild cultivar/species as the genetic base of pulses is narrow. In pulse crops hybrids are develop for transferring desirable traits followed by advancing generations to get homozygous desirable lines which are selected to release as a new variety. Male sterility and self incompatibility which can help to develop hybrid, e.g., rice, but not reported in pulse crop except pegion pea.

Pulse Research Centre, BARI, Gazipur.