Pulses Major Source Of Protein For Human Food

Chairman Department of Agronomy University of Agriculture Faisalabad Prof Dr Nadeem Akbar has said that pulses are a major source of protein for human food

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2025) Chairman Department of Agronomy University of Agriculture Faisalabad Prof Dr Nadeem Akbar has said that pulses are a major source of protein for human food.

Presiding over a meeting of the annual Rabi program-2025 of pulses at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad here Tuesday, he said that pulses provide an effective solution to achieve food security in changing climatic conditions.

He said that new varieties that give high yields and are resistant to diseases are being provided to farmers.

Chief Scientist, Department of Pulses, Dr. Khalid Hussain said that pulses increase soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Research experiments are underway to prepare new varieties and control pests in the Rabi season.

He said that agricultural scientists have introduced 6 new varieties of gram, moong, lentils and mung beans, which give high per acre yield in irrigated areas and have better resistance to diseases.

He said that mixed cultivation in the field of lentils has proven to be very successful. Farmers should choose medium fertile land for cultivation of pulses and apply fungicide to the seeds before sowing.

He urged the farmers to inoculate the seeds at the time of sowing to restore the fertility of the land and increase the per acre yield of pulses.

Dr. Khalid Hussain said that agricultural scientists of the Pulses Department of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, will conduct 42 experiments for the effective control of harmful insects, especially termites, thrips, slow caterpillars and toad larvae, along with introducing new varieties of chickpea and lentils. Farmers are being educated about timely diagnosis of pulse diseases and control of harmful insects through master trainers of the Department of Agriculture Extension, Punjab, he added.

National Coordinator Pulses PARC Islamabad, Dr. Muhammad Mansoor said that in order to increase the area and production of chickpea and lentils in the Rabi season in Pakistan, agricultural experts have identified new areas in Sindh and Balochistan besides the Pothwar region.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman Pulses Research and Development board, Muhammad Arif Zahid, Chief Scientist, Azri Bhakkar, Chief Scientist, Department of Soil Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Dr. Abid Niaz, Senior Scientist Dr. Allah Nawaz, Dr. Ali Aziz, Dr. Hafiz Naveed Ramzan, agricultural scientists and farmer representatives.