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tumefaciens, popularly kl~own as a 'natural genetic engineer' transfers genetic material
with the help of the tumor inducing (Ti) plasmid (Chilton, 1983). The native genes of Ti
plasmid perform the function of cancerous establishnient of the Agrobactrrium in the
infected plant cells. Among various attributes of' this plasmid, the niost important one is
that it transfers virtually any genetic sequence present between the left and right borders of
the famous T-DNA. Tliougll this organihm's ilifectlvity 1s restricted to dicois, tcchnologlcal
advancements made [his organism useful to tr,lnsfer genetic ~llatcrial to monocots (Slemcl~h
and Schieder, 1996) atid even to animal and hun~an cell cultures as well according to rccclit
reports (Kuriik et al., 2001). Various otlirr techniques evolved with the inspiration liol~l
this organism, but tliey arc host and teclin~que spccilic monocots (Siemens and Scliiedrr,
1996). Biolistics or part~cle bombardment teclinique is onc potential technique (Saliio~d,
1993) that could solve tile problem ofliost incolnpnl~b~llty.
\/Chickpea
(211-16) is one of tile important food legumes prevalently cultivated in
Asia-Pacific region \+liere large portiun oi' the yield is contr~butcd by the Indian sub-
continent. Broadly [here are two vorletlcs of cl~lckpea, Desi arid Kabuli. It is a cool season
pod bearing crop, seeds of wh~ch are excellent source of protclns rlch with nitrogenous
amino acids espec~,llly lyaiiir and arglnlne 111;iklng the products of 1111s crop, very good
food aildilivcs. Ue>ldrs, it 1s also ktlo\vn to Il111)rove soil fertility with the Iielp of'sy~i~biotic
nitrogen fixation. It contributes 15% of the world's pulse Iialvest of about 58 rnill~on tons,
anllually. Deap~te sign~iicant gains In world pulse production during the last two decades
with an annual growtli rate of 1.9% cllickpeli production growtli has been slow. Ch~ckpca
yields worldw~de have risen by 0.6% annually which :mounts to 800 kgha, and thc area of
cult~vatioll has reniaiiled v~~iunlly stagn;lllt. Tll~slower p;lce has bee11 the result ol'vu~ lous
refractory biotic aiid abiotic constrdlnts such as ,lrL~oc/iylu bl~gllt (AB), Liurrj'li~ Grey hloid
(BGM), dry roo!jz,
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coll,~r rot, Fi~~iri.iiirr~ wilt, pod borer, drouglit ;~nd low tempcratu!.c