International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
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Improving grain quality and nitrogen use efficiency of cereal-based cropping systems on vertisols in semi-arid tropics
No full textContext
Semi-arid tropics is facing serious issues of malnutrition in population owing to poor quality of food grain production. Malnutrition is directly linked to lower grain protein and zinc yield due to inappropriate land and water, and nutrient management practices, which also resulted into reduced nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals.
Objective
The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effect of land and water and nutrient management on grain protein and zinc yield, and NUE of cereal-based cropping systems on vertisols soils in semi-arid tropics.
Methods
The study was carried out at Hyderabad in India during 2014–15 and 2015–16 and involved three cropping systems (two rotation systems: sorghum-chickpea and maize-groundnut; and one intercropping: pearl millet + pigeonpea), two land and water management i.e. flatbed and broad bed furrows and four nutrient management-N1: Control (no fertilizer), N2: 100% recommended application of macronutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) through chemical fertilizer, N3: N2 + 100% recommended application of secondary nutrient (sulphur) and micronutrient (zinc and boron) through chemical fertilizer, and N4 (integrated nutrient): 50% of N2 + 50% nitrogen in cereals or phosphorus in legumes through organic fertilizer as vermicompost.
Results
In sorghum-chickpea rotation system, the treatment interaction broad bed furrows with 100% recommended application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient and micronutrient recorded significantly higher grain zinc yield in both the years, while grain protein yield was significantly higher in second year. The grain protein and zinc yield in sorghum-chickpea rotation system, and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency in pearl millet+pigeonpea intercropping system was significantly higher in broad bed furrows than flatbed. The agronomic NUE of broad bed furrows was higher by 61% in 2014–15 and 65% in 2015–16 over flatbed. Among the nutrient management treatments, grain protein and zinc yield, and agronomic NUE were significantly higher in combined application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient, and micronutrients through chemical fertilizer i.e. N3 followed by N4, N2 and N1.
Conclusion
The broad bed furrows and application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient and micronutrient could be an effective integrated land and water and nutrient management approach to improve grain quality and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of cereal-based cropping systems in semi-arid tropics.
Implications
This study contributed to develop integrated land and water and nutrient management as an innovative agronomic management practice for cereal-based cropping systems, which needs to scale-up through Government agricultural policies to overcome the issue of malnutrition in population living in semi-arid tropics
Advances in Pearl Millet Hybrid Breeding and Development of Parental Lines
No full textSignificant heterosis, stable male sterility systems, effective fertility restoration, and ease in selfing and crossing enabled breeders to enhance genetic gains in pearl millet through hybrid breeding. More than 50 years of breeding efforts in India and elsewhere utilizing germplasm from Asian and African regions have led to the development of a diverse array of trait- and adaptation-specific seed and restorer parental lines in productive backgrounds. Clarity on product profiles in breeding programs, maintaining significant genetic diversity among breeding lines, keeping seed and restorer parents in two separate heterotic pools, strong screening protocols for biotic and abiotic stresses, using molecular markers to select traits of interest, and utilization of tools to predict heterosis will be the key factors to move further in enhancing the hybrid potential of this crop in different regions of the world
Genetic analysis of purple pigmentation in rice seed and vegetative parts — implications on developing high-yielding purple rice (Oryza sativa L.)
No full textPigmentation in rice grains is an important quality parameter. Purple-coloured rice (Oryza sativa L.) indicates the presence of high anthocyanin with benefits of antioxidant properties. However, the genetic mechanism of grain colour is not fully understood. Therefore, the study focused on understanding pigmentation in grain pericarp and vegetative parts, and its relationship with blast resistance and enhanced grain yield. Three local cultivars from the northeastern region (NER) of India — Chakhao Poireiton (purple), Mang Meikri (light brown), and Kala Joha (white) — along with high-yielding varieties (HYVs) Shasharang (light brown) and Sahbhagi dhan (white) were used to develop biparental populations. The findings suggested that pigmentation in vegetative tissue was governed by the inter-allelic interaction of several genes. Haplotype analysis revealed that Kala3 complemented Kala4 in enhancing purple pigmentation and that Kala4 is not the only gene responsible for purple colour as evident by the presence of a desired allele for markers RID3 and RID4 (Kala4 locus) in Chakhao Poireiton and Kala Joha irrespective of their pericarp colour, implying the involvement of some other additional, unidentified genes/loci. RID3 and RID4 together with RM15191 (Kala3 locus) could be employed as a reliable marker set for marker-assisted selection (MAS). Pericarp colour was strongly correlated with colour in different vegetative parts, but showed a negative correlation with grain yield. Pb1, reported to be associated with panicle blast resistance, contributed to leaf blast resistance. Transgressive segregants for improved pigmentation and high yield were identified. The selection of lines exhibiting coloured pericarp, high anthocyanin content, aroma, blast resistance, and increased yield compared to their respective HYV parents will be valuable resources in the rice breeding programme
Low-cost small-scale irrigation for developing an agroforestry system in the semi-arid zone of Niger: case of the apple of the Sahel (Ziziphus mauritiana L.)
Get PDFCultivation of the ‘Apple of the Sahel’ (also known as Indian Jujube) is central to the food security, nutrition, and income of rural communities in developing countries like Niger. However, rainfall variability significantly impacts the development of this plant. This study aims to determine the effects of seasonal water regimes on the growth and productivity of the Apple of the Sahel. The trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 during the rainy and dry seasons at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) experimental site in Sadore, Niamey, Niger. The experiment was arranged in a factorial design with three irrigation doses (D) and three irrigation systems (G) as main and subplot factors, respectively. The sub-subplot factors were irrigation frequencies (F) and growth boosters (B), each with two levels. In the dry season, irrigation dose application significantly (p = 0.001) increased soil volumetric water content (vwc). A similar increase in soil vwc was achieved under small-scale drip irrigation with an application of the same dose of organic material (p = 0.001). The diameter of the Apple of the Sahel trees significantly increased (p = 0.03) under the small-scale drip irrigation systems with 6.72 mm recorded under the two-drip irrigation system (G2) as compared with the manual system (G0). In the dry season, the total fruit harvest of Apple of the Sahel recorded had increased (p = 0.04) under the irrigated system, varying from 112 to 246% depending on the number of drippers, and compared to the manual system. These results highlight that small-scale drip irrigation should be used in combination with appropriate water and fertilizer management to improve water availability and tree yield in agroforestry systems in arid regions such as Niger
Overcoming barriers to climate-smart agriculture in South Asia
Get PDFDespite the promise of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) to improve food security in South Asia, most CSA practices and
technologies have not been widely adopted. We identify the key barriers to CSA adoption in South Asia and suggest strategies to overcome them to increase CSA adoption at scale
Impact assessment of rainwater management interventions on land use land cover changes in Parasai-Sindh watershed of Bundelkhand Region, Central India
No full textRainwater Management (RWM) interventions were implemented to address the scarcity of water and to restrict the degradation of land resources in the Parasai-Sindh watershed covering an areal extent of 1246 ha located in Jhansi district of Bundelkhand region, Central India. The region is constrained by several factors, the most significant of which is its high vulnerability to natural disasters and poor infrastructure development, resulting in low agricultural production and precarious livelihoods. This study's goal was to evaluate the impact of RWM intervention on groundwater dynamics and the changes in LULC that it has brought about. A total of 380 dug wells were monitored to investigate the ground water dynamics. Integration of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to prepare LULC maps using Landsat images. The changes in LULC were studied before and after the implementation of RWM interventions. The study revealed enhanced groundwater availability for agricultural and domestic applications. Due to increased water availability, a significant portion of fallow land was converted into cropland. Built-up land coverings have also increased in the watershed. A decrease in the areal extent of barren rocky and scrubland was witnessed over the study period. The area under plantation was also increased.The study underlines the relevance of RWM interventions in restoring watershed land cover, assisting in poverty alleviation, and providing long-term livelihood
Identification of superior haplotypes for seed protein content in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.)
Get PDFPigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) is an important source of quality dietary protein for over a billion people worldwide. The seeds of pigeonpea contain approximately 20–22% digestible protein, which makes it a valuable source of nutrition. Despite this, there has been little attention paid to enhancing the seed protein content (SPC) through genetic means. Recently, high-protein germplasm lines have been discovered in the secondary gene pool, which presents an opportunity to breed for high-protein cultivars. To accelerate the breeding process, genomics-assisted breeding (GAB) can be utilized. In this context, this study identified the superior haplotypes for the genes that control SPC in pigeonpea. Whole-genome re-sequencing (WGRS) data from 344 pigeonpea genotypes were analyzed to identify the superior haplotypes for 57 SPC governing genes. A total of 231 haplotypes in 43 candidate genes were identified, and haplo-pheno analysis was performed to provide superior haplotypes for 10 genes. The identification of superior haplotypes and genotypes will greatly facilitate the development of protein-rich pigeonpea seeds through the application of haplotype-based breeding (HBB)
Does millet consumption contribute to raising blood hemoglobin levels compared to regular refined staples?: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFMillets are recognized for their health and nutritional values, and the United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets. Among the several health and nutritional benefits of millets, their impact on hemoglobin concentration is important since anemia is a major public health issue in many countries. To investigate the effect of millet (including sorghum) consumption on hemoglobin concentration in the blood, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Thirteen published studies featuring randomized control trials involving 590 individuals in the intervention group and 549 control individuals were eligible for the meta-analysis. The difference-in-differences analysis revealed highly significant (p < 0.01) positive effects of millet consumption on hemoglobin concentration, with an effect size of +0.68 standardized mean difference units. The change in hemoglobin concentration observed in the intervention group was +13.6%, which is statistically significant (p < 0.0005), compared to that in the control group, which was +4.8% and not statistically significant (p = 0.1362). In four studies, the consumption of millets in the intervention group demonstrated a change from mild anemia to normal status among children, whereas there was no change in the control group. The findings provide evidence that the consumption of millets can improve blood hemoglobin concentration, likely resulting from increased iron intake. Further research is needed involving the assessment of iron content and bioavailability to better understand the effect variation among millet types and the mechanisms involved
Genome assembly, comparative genomics, and identification of genes/pathways underlying plant growth‑promoting traits of an actinobacterial strain, Amycolatopsis sp. (BCA‑696)
Get PDFThe draft genome sequence of an agriculturally important actinobacterial species Amycolatopsis sp. BCA-696 was developed and characterized in this study. Amycolatopsis BCA-696 is known for its biocontrol properties against charcoal rot and also for plant growth-promotion (PGP) in several crop species. The next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based draft genome of Amycolatopsis sp. BCA-696 comprised of ~ 9.05 Mb linear chromosome with 68.75% GC content. In total, 8716 protein-coding sequences and 61 RNA-coding sequences were predicted in the genome. This newly developed genome sequence has been also characterized for biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and biosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, we have also reported that the Amycolatopsis sp. BCA-696 produces the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin that inhibits the growth of pathogenic gram-positive bacteria. A comparative analysis of the BCA-696 genome with publicly available closely related genomes of 14 strains of Amycolatopsis has also been conducted. The comparative analysis has identified a total of 4733 core and 466 unique orthologous genes present in the BCA-696 genome The unique genes present in BCA-696 was enriched with antibiotic biosynthesis and resistance functions. Genome assembly of the BCA-696 has also provided genes involved in key pathways related to PGP and biocontrol traits such as siderophores, chitinase, and cellulase production
Innovative bio-pyrolytic method for efficient biochar production from maize and pigeonpea stalks and their characterization
Get PDFAgricultural residues in excess of livestock fodder are garnering global attention and stern concerns owing to their accountable share in environmental hazards due to the lack of effective disposal mechanisms and indiscriminate burning. Recycling these residues for biochar production using pyrolysis is a cost-effective and locally feasible technique which offers a twin-prong solution addressing both climate and soil health issues. This research work compares a portable kiln prototype that is affordable and easy to use, with a muffle furnace at three distinct pyrolytic temperatures (400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C) to produce biochar from the stalks of maize and pigeonpea. The biochar properties were characterized using Electron Microscopy-Electron Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The findings indicate significant variations in biochar properties based on raw material source, pyrolytic method, and varied temperatures. Higher pyrolysis temperatures were found to reduce the amorphous organic phase and alter the ultrastructure of biochar, as evidenced by XRD analysis. SEM imaging showed macropores in oval and round shapes with crystalline deposits. The carbon content, as per EDX, decreased with increasing temperature, aligning with changes in functional groups. Edinburgh's stability test revealed that kiln biochar has more stable carbon content compared to biochar produced using muffle furnace and the stable carbon increased with the rise in temperature. A comparative analysis demonstrated that biochar quality at 400–500 °C in a muffle furnace was on par with that produced in the portable kiln at 400 °C. Therefore, considering the kiln's portability, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and scalability, it is a promising decentralized method for biochar production, offering a cutting-edge solution for agricultural waste management and soil carbon enhancement