India: Due to their high protein content and drought tolerance, legumes such as chickpeas are the food of the future

Chickpea is the fourth most widely grown legume crop in the world and contributes significantly to food security by providing calories and dietary protein worldwide. However, increased frequency of drought stress has significantly reduced chickpea production in recent years. The researchers conducted a field experiment with 36 different chickpea genotypes to evaluate grain yield, photosynthetic activity and molecular traits associated with drought stress. The world's population is increasing exponentially, while the agricultural sector is not expanding at the same rate. There is an urgent need to increase the production of agricultural crops to meet the growing needs for food. Demand for water for agriculture could double by 2050, and the availability of fresh water will decrease by 50% due to intensifying climate fluctuations. To achieve food security, there is an urgent need to review investments in the development of high-yielding crops that are resilient to climate change and ...