International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
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Screening pearl millet genotypes for resistance to Striga hermonthica and compatibility to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae
No full textPearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br., 2n = 2x = 14) is a nutritionally rich and climate-resilient food crop cultivated globally. It is a crucial staple crop in Burkina Faso and the dry Sahel region, encompassing Niger, Mali, and Senegal. However, the yield of pearl millet is relatively low in the region (<0.85 tons ha−1) due to Striga hermonthica (Sh) infestation, bird damage, insect pests, diseases, and low-yielding open-pollinated landrace varieties. The study aimed to screen genetically diverse pearl millet accessions for Sh resistance and compatibility to a Striga bio-control agent, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Strigae (FOS), to select contrasting and promising parents for resistance breeding and production. One hundred and fifty genotypes were evaluated in Sh hotspot fields in the rain-fed and greenhouse conditions using an alpha lattice design and two replications in Burkina Faso. Significant differences were recorded among the tested pearl millet genotypes for the assessed agro-morphological and Striga resistance. Days to flowering was significantly delayed in the assessed genotypes due to Sh infestation. Applying FOS on pearl millet seed significantly reduced the mean Striga number in Sh-infested conditions. The following genotypes: IP-3098, IP-6112, IP-9242, IP-10579, and IP-11358 were identified as exhibiting Sh resistance and were compatible to FOS. The pearl millet genotypes supported few to none Sh emerged plants with comparatively low values under the Striga number progress curve. The selected genotypes are useful parents to breed for Striga resistance and integrated management in Burkina Faso and related agroecologies
Optimizing speed breeding and seed/ pod chip based genotyping techniques in pigeonpea: A way forward for high throughput line development
Get PDFBackground: The challenge of pigeonpea breeding lies in its photosensitivity and seasonal specificity. This poses a
problem to the breeder, as it restricts to single generation advancement in a year. Currently, the cross to cultivar gap
is twelve to thirteen years resulting in a limited number of varietal releases over the past six decades. Shortening the
breeding cycle was need of the hour, unlikely achieved by conventional breeding. To overcome these hindrances
speed breeding was a necessary leap. An experiment was planned to optimize the speed breeding coupled with
single seed descent and seed or pod chip-based genotyping to shorten the breeding cycle in pigeonpea at ICRISAT,
Hyderabad. Monitored photoperiod, light wavelength, temperature and crop management regime were the
indicators attributing to the success of speed breeding.
Result A photoperiod of 13 h: 8 h: 13 h at vegetative: flowering and pod filling stages is ideal for shortening the
breeding cycle. Broad spectrum light (5700 K LED) hastened early vegetative growth and pod formation. Whereas farred
(735 nm) light favoured early flowering. A significant difference between the photoperiods, genotypes as well as
photoperiod x genotype interaction for both days to flowering and plant height was noted. Conclusion The optimized protocol serves as a road map for rapid generation advancement in pigeonpea. Deploying this protocol, it is possible to advance 2–4 generations per year. The breeding cycle can be reduced to 2–4 years which otherwise takes 7 years under conventional breeding. Single Seed Descent and seed or pod chip-based genotyping for early generation marker assisted selection, strengthened the precision of this technique aiding in high throughput line development
A genomic variation map provides insights into peanut diversity in China and associations with 28 agronomic traits
Get PDFPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important allotetraploid oil and food legume crop. China is one of the world’s largest peanut producers and consumers. However, genomic variations underlying the migration and divergence of peanuts in China remain unclear. Here we reported a
genome-wide variation map based on the resequencing of 390 peanut accessions, suggesting that peanuts might have been introduced into southern and northern China separately, forming two cultivation centers. Selective sweep analysis highlights asymmetric selection between the two subgenomes during peanut improvement. A classical pedigree from South
China offers a context for the examination of the impact of artificial selection on peanut genome. Genome-wide association studies identified 22,309 significant associations with 28 agronomic traits, including candidate
genes for plant architecture and oil biosynthesis. Our findings shed light on peanut migration and diversity in China and provide valuable genomic resources for peanut improvement
Impact of regular consumption of millets on fasting and post-prandial blood glucose level: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFMillets have a low Glycemic Index and are thus expected to help reduce concentration of Fasting and Post-Prandial Blood Sugar (FBS and PPBS) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which can potentially help the management of type 2 diabetes. This study conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of millets consumption on FBS, PPBS, and HbA1c levels in comparison to major staple diets using the difference-in-differences (DID) method, where the effect size was computed on the Standardized Mean Difference scale. Among twelve eligible articles, ten were used in the meta-analysis to assess the effects on FBS levels, while five were used to assess the effects on PPBS levels. The results show significant effects on FBS (p < 0.01) and PPBS (p < 0.05) levels with the effect size of −0.71 and −0.42, respectively. There were 11.8% (p = 0.001) and 15.1% (p = 0.012) reductions in FBS and PPBS level respectively observed in the millet consuming group whereas the comparator group did not have significant reductions in either indicator. On the other hand, the effects on HbA1c levels were insignificant, presumably due to the small sample size where only two studies were undertaken over 90 days, which warrants further research. The findings corroborate the evidence that millets can contribute to managing FBS and PPBS levels better than major staple diets, implying that millets consumption helps reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
Comparative metabolomics analysis reveals secondary cell wall thickening as a barrier to resist Aspergillus flavus infection in groundnut
Get PDFAflatoxin contamination caused by Aspergillus flavus significantly threatens food safety and human health. Resistance to aflatoxin is a highly complex and quantitative trait, but the underlying molecular and biochemical mechanisms are poorly understood. The present study aims to identify the resistance-related metabolites in groundnut that influence the defense mechanism against aflatoxin. Here, metabolite profiling of resistant (55–437) and susceptible (TMV-2) groundnut genotypes, which exhibited contrasting levels of resistance to A. flavus growth and aflatoxin accumulation under pathogen- or mock-inoculated treatments, was undertaken using liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Non-targeted metabolomic analysis revealed key resistance-related metabolites belonging to phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, fatty acids, alkaloids, and terpenoid biosynthetic pathways. The phenylpropanoids - hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs) and lignins were among the most abundantly accumulated metabolites in the resistant genotype compared to the susceptible genotype. HCAAs and lignins are deposited as polymers and conjugated metabolites to strengthen the secondary cell wall, which acts as a barrier to pathogen entry. Further, histochemical staining confirmed the secondary cell wall thickening due to HCAAs and lignin depositions. Quantitative real-time PCR studies revealed higher expressions of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL), cinnamoyl CoA reductase (CCR2), cinnamoyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD1), agmatine hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (ACT), chalcone synthase (CHS), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) and flavonol synthase (FLS) in the pathogen-inoculated resistant genotype than in the susceptible genotype. This study reveals that the resistance to aflatoxin contamination in groundnut genotypes is associated with secondary cell wall thickening due to the deposition of HCAAs and lignins
Large-Scale Mapping of Soil Quality Index in Different Land Uses Using Airborne Hyperspectral Data
No full textLarge-scale mapping of soil quality index (SQI) is a challenging task because of the cost and time involved in measuring required soil parameters through conventional wet chemistry-based methods. Hyperspectral remote sensing (HRS) may be used to overcome such a challenge. We hypothesize that soil quality at a specific location may be estimated from remotely sensed reflectance spectra because both these attributes are composite parameters. We used the HRS data collected with the Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) sensor to estimate SQIs in an agricultural catchment. SQIs were developed from 16 different soil properties measured at 101 locations coinciding AVIRIS-NG flight. Chemometric models were used to estimate SQIs from spectral reflectance data collected under laboratory conditions and those processed from AVIRIS-NG data before and after linear and nonlinear unmixing. Except for the linearly unmixed AVIRIS-NG data, three other spectral data sources yielded coefficient of determination ( R2 ) values exceeding 0.7. Specifically, the R2 values for the mixed and nonlinearly unmixed spectra were 0.71 and 0.72, respectively, suggesting that HRS approach may directly be used for estimating SQIs. With high validation statistics, we converted the AVIRIS-NG imagery to SQI map for the entire catchment. Such high spatial resolution maps allowed us to examine the effects of land use/cover on soil quality. Strong linear dependencies between SQI and land uses and terrain structures suggested that HRS-derived SQI maps may be used to prioritize soil management efforts for sustainable development
Combined Application Of Fungal And Bacterial Bioagents, Together With Fungicide For Integrated Management Of Stem Rot Disease Of Groundnut
No full textGroundnut stem rot, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, is notorious for causing significant economic losses in groundnut production worldwide. During field evaluation at two locations, Patancheru and Rajendranagar, the bioagents Trichoderma viride, Bacillus cereus and fungicide azoxystrobin performed exceptionally well. Among the various treatments, treatment T10, which consisted of Trichoderma viride and Bacillus cereus as ST (seed treatment) SA (soil application) reduced rate of azoxysrobin, proved to be the most effective in controlling stem rot of groundnut. Treatment T8, comprising of Trichoderma viride as ST SA reduced rate of azoxystrobin, and treatment T9, consisting of Bacillus cereus as ST SA reduced rate of azoxystrobin, also exhibited good control of the disease under both glasshouse and field conditions. Additionally, these treatments resulted in substantial growth and yield attributing parameters, with the highest pod yield and B:C ratio being recorded. In conclusion, the bioagents Trichoderma viride (T2), Bacillus cereus (B5) and fungicide azoxystrobin have demonstrated great potential for the effective management of stem rot in groundnut and can be utilized in field settings
Agronomic Performance and Sprouting Quality of Improved Mungbean Lines in Myanmar
Get PDFMungbean is a pulse crop of economic importance in Myanmar. The susceptibility of current grown mungbean varieties to the Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Disease (MYMD), utilized in the high premium-sprout market segment, is a major concern. Field-testing of seven improved mungbean lines across six locations in Bago and Yangon regions ensued in the post monsoon season of 2021–2022 and across four locations in Magway, Naypyitaw, and Mandalay regions in the monsoon season of 2022. Two promising lines (AVMU 1688 and AVMU 1690), with known resistance to all known species of the viruses causing MYMD, were further tested during the pre-monsoon season of 2023 and confirmed for resistance to the MYMD. Both lines showed good performance for seed yield per plant (9.70–10.57 g/plant) and were early maturing (62–63 days) during the monsoon season. AVMU 1688 showed with sprouting quality similar to Yezin -1 and the commercial reference standard. The seed color and luster (green and shiny) also meet the market requirements of the grain market segment. Both AVMU 1688 and AVMU 1690 lines may proceed to testing for potential release as a variety or could serve as donor parents for resistance to MYMD in the National Breeding Program
Pearl Millet Germplasm Resources
No full textPearl millet is one of the most nutritious and climate-resilient crops, with the exceptional ability to tolerate high temperatures. It is staple food for ~90 million people of Africa and Asia. Its stalks are used as green and dry fodder for livestock. Thus, it plays a significant role in ensuring food and fodder security and nutrition. Genetic enhancement of pearl millet is governed by various factors, including the availability of genetic resources, inheritance and stability of traits, and the type of varieties cultivated. Globally, a substantial amount of pearl millet germplasm is conserved ex situ in genebanks, with the ICRISAT genebank being the largest repository. Characterization and evaluation of these germplasm resources for morpho-agronomic, productivity, quality, and stress tolerance traits have shown significant variability that can be harnessed for crop improvement. Germplasm diversity representative subsets such as core collection and mini core collections have been established in pearl millet. Pearl millet's high outcrossing nature promotes gene flow within and among its wild and cultivated forms, leading to a high level of diversity within its landraces. Therefore, to effectively utilize this genetic variability for crop enhancement, a well-planned strategy is essential. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the status of pearl millet germplasm conservation, both ex-situ and in-situ, and attempts to review the progress made in identifying and utilizing trait-specific sources for improving resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in genetic improvement programs
The impact of COVID-19 and capacities of farmers in small-scale irrigation schemes in sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFDetrimental impacts from COVID-19 restrictions on households and agricultural productivity reinforce the need for resilience building and transformation in African food systems. Capitalizing on the opportunity to learn lessons from the ‘Transforming Small-scale Irrigation in Southern Africa’ (TISA) project (2013–2023), we summarize TISA’s outcomes and compare survey data on the perceived impact of COVID-19 between three schemes involved and three not involved with TISA. Overall, participating households had greater ability to manage the impacts of COVID-19. We highlight the need to build resilience in multiple interconnecting domains to enhance adaptability to crisis events that impact agricultural systems