On Fano manifolds of large pseudoindex (Q907334)

Let \(X\) be a Fano manifold, i.e., a smooth complex projective variety with ample anticanonical bundle \(-K_X\). The \textit{pseudoindex} \(i_X\) is the minimum anticanonical degree of rational curves on \(X\). It is conjectured (as a generalization of a previous conjecture by Mukai, where the index of \(X\) played the role of the pseudoindex) that the product \(\rho_X(i_X-1)\) has to be smaller than or equal to the dimension of \(X\), being equal only for some product of projective spaces (\(\rho_X\) stands for the Picard number of \(X\)). This conjecture is known to be true when \(i_X>\dim(X)/3\), being therefore a natural project to classify Fano manifolds under this inequality. The paper under review is a first step towards this classification. The main result (see the Theorem in the Introduction) is that when \(i_X \geq (\dim(X)+2)/3\) and \(\rho_X \geq 3\) then either \(\rho_X=4\) and \(X\) is the product of four lines, or \(\rho_X=3\) and \(X\) is a precisely described product of projective spaces, projective spaces blown up in a linear subspace, quadrics or projective tangent bundles. Moreover, some partial results when \(i_X=(\dim(X)+1)/3\) are provided: a complete classification when \(\rho_X \geq 4\) (see Proposition 5.1) and when \(\rho_X=3\) and \(X\) contains some special families of rational curves (see Theorem 5.7).