**1.3 Multiple stress**

Legumes are mainly cultivated in rainfed conditions on marginal lands with minimum inputs. In these risk-prone environments, legumes encounter multiple stresses such as various diseases (wilt, rust, Ascochyta blight, powdery mildew), erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spell, extreme temperatures, salinity stress, alkalinity and acidity. Most legumes are susceptible to different stresses, affecting morphological and physiological processes of plants that hamper plant growth. To ensure consistent performance of pulses in these areas, it is essential to develop multiple stress-resistant varieties.
