​In our institute, food grain legume breeding studies was started in 1976 with ALAD materials.

The following years, mostly gene banks materials and foreign materials was used for breeding studies.

Chickpea hybridization studies was started in 1983 and also lentil hybridization studies in 2008.

Domestic materials, foreign materials and hybridization materials have been used in breeding studies currently.

Our subjects

• Red lentil ( winter )
• Green lentil ( spring )
• Chickpea

Aim
Providing need for seed in domestic ways , increasing competition with the world and contributing the country's economy by reducing cost of production.

Target
In lentil : to develop for the Central Anatolian Region adapted, machine harvesting suitable,
drought and winter proof, efficient, high quality, wintery, summery, green and red types .

In chickpea : Developing tolerated to ascochyta blight disease, consumer demand convenient, efficient, machine harvested suitable, biotic and abiotic stresses resistant varieties .

Current projects
• Lentil Breeding Studies for the Central Anatolia Region (GDAR)
• Chickpea Breeding Studies for the Central Anatolia Region (GDAR)
• National Chickpea Breeding Activities (GDAR)

Why legumes are important ?

• Due to its high proportion of protein, legumes have an important role in human and animal nutrition. It is popularly known as the poor men's meat.
• Healthy and nutritious food source.
• Suitable for food safety.
• In terms of sustainable agriculture and crop rotation, it has a great importance.
• Contribute to biodiversity in agriculture.
• It has an important place in world agricultural trade.
• Reduce sera gases
• Increase the fertility of soil.
• Because of its unique advantages, it is a resource that can be utilized for other plants by genomic and genetic resource

Legume importance for Turkey

• Turkey is one of the centers of chickpea and lentil
• Turkey is the major legume producer and exporter country in world
• It is important for crop rotations
• Increase the fertility of soil.
• Turkey is the leading country for legume trade and industry in Middle East
• Turkey is not only the legume manufacturer and exporter but also transfers technology to the world
• Turkey has a high rate of consumption per capita for chickpea and lentil in world
• There are many legume meal in Turkey and due to the common consumption of bean, it is called a national meal
• Turkey has an important legume industry like processing, packaging, chickpea and canned food factories