Inspection of crop wild relative (Cicer microphyllum) as potential genetic resource in transgenic development

Crop wild relative (CWR) is a wild ancestor plant/related taxon, closely related to cultivated domesticated plant whose geographic origins can be traced to regions known as Vavilov centers. CWRs have been significantly important to provide efficient traits to crops for improving agricultural production leading toward sustainable agro-ecosystems. Genetic material from CWRs has been utilized since long time as wild maize (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis H. H. Iltis & Doebley) and is routinely grown alongside maize to promote natural crossing. More recently, plant breeders have utilized CWR genes to improve a wide range of crops like maize (Zea mays ssp. mays), rice (Oryza sativa), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and legumes. Grain legumes have been a major crop group in present time with the objectives to include its tolerance to abiotic stresses, and recently wild pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) was highlighted to improve the CWR germplasm collection with particular emphasis on potential traits for abiotic stress tolerance. CWR may be a potential source for better genes/traits to develop plant breeding or transgenic crops. Cicer microphyllum is a cold desert plant distributed in dry slopes of the Himalayan mountain range and wild relative of cultivated chickpea (C. arietenum). It has been considered to be a repository of genes expressed for extreme cold and drought tolerance and has been reported that wild Cicer species possess wealth of genes for biotic and abiotic stresses and also hold promise for enhancing seed yield through introgression of genes in cultivated species. Our previous molecular studies on Cicer microphyllum confirm this CWR as a natural repository of potential traits for abiotic stress tolerance. Germplasm availability is challenging to meet the needs of sustainable utilization of this species for routine research. Therefore we report in vitro germplasm conservation of this CWR and physiological responses toward cold and drought stress conditions to ensure long-term availability of germplasm to researchers to explore and utilize it for transgenic crop development.