International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
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Challenges and Opportunities of Pearl Millet Hybrid Development and Seed Production in West Africa
No full textEnhancing agricultural productivity in response to the growing population and food demand in West Africa is imperative. Pearl millet [ Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.], which is well suited to the region's challenging conditions, holds significant potential for strengthening food security. However, current yields are low, and the adoption of improved hybrid varieties lags. Organizations like International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and national agricultural research institutes are working to establish hybrid breeding programs, emphasizing harnessing heterosis for higher yields and stress resilience, but challenges include finding suitable cytoplasmic male sterility sources and developing restorer lines. Initiatives by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa and Harvest Plus support hybrid development, as evidenced by Burkina Faso's release of Nufagnon, a high-yield, downy mildew–resistant hybrid adapted to local conditions. Key to success is addressing agronomic and socio-economic challenges through collaboration with farmers, optimizing planting density, and ensuring proper fertilizer use. Public and private sectors play vital roles, requiring training for local seed companies, incentivizing hybrid seed production, and implementing policies to prevent malpractice. Ongoing genetic research, including identifying heterotic groups and utilizing advanced molecular techniques, is crucial for shaping hybrid development. The outlook is promising, with collaborative efforts expected to yield improved hybrid varieties. The adoption of "speed breeding" and precision breeding techniques holds potential for quicker adaptation to changing agricultural landscapes. In conclusion, success hinges on continued collaboration, favorable policies, and concerted efforts to address challenges, ultimately enhancing food security and fostering economic growth in the region
Crop Wild Relatives of Sorghum: A Novel Source of Genetic Variation for Crop Improvement
No full textSorghum is one of the most important dryland crops with greater prominence in terms of food and fodder, contribution to global food security and nutrition. Sorghum production is constrained by several biotic and abiotic stresses; on the other hand, the repeated use of identical sources in breeding program has resulted in narrow genetic base of crop cultivars. This enhanced the need to broaden the genetic base of crop cultivars by using diverse landraces and crop wild relatives. Currently, 259,595 accessions of sorghum spp. including 2465 wild and weedy relatives are being conserved ex situ in the genebanks across the globe. The exploitation of wild species harboring several desirable alleles for various biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, productivity, and nutritional traits can aid in diversifying the trait sources. Gap analysis of the sorghum wild relatives indicated significant taxonomical and geographical gaps in the global collection, requiring immediate efforts to enrich the gene pool. Using novel breeding strategies including the application of genomics approaches like genome sequencing, trait mapping and pangenome development provides more comprehensive insights into trait-specific sources. This can aid in identifying and transferring novel traits from wild relatives and can lead to sustainable production levels in sorghum
A multi-faceted approach involving laboratory assay, glasshouse, and field experiments in identifying stem rot (incited by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.) resistance in advanced breeding lines of groundnut
No full textStem rot disease, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., is a major impediment to groundnut production in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas. The present study focused on identifying potential sources of resistance by screening a set of groundnut advanced breeding lines in laboratory, glasshouse, and field conditions. Two experiments in a glasshouse and a field were conducted during the rainy seasons of 2022 and 2023 at ICRISAT, India. Disease incidence was recorded at 15, 30, 45, and 60 days after inoculation. The results identified five lines–ICGV 171025, ICGV 181035, ICGV 181458, ICGV 211107, and ICGV 171002–as moderately resistant, with less than 30% incidence. The remaining lines were susceptible, with more than 30% incidence in both field and glasshouse experiments. In the laboratory experiment, the response to oxalic acid assay was conducted using detached stems (laterals and mains), and the results revealed differential reaction after immersing in 0-, 20- and 50-mM oxalic acid, and the response was recorded at 12-, 18-, and 24-hours intervals. Significant wilt symptoms were observed at 24 h for laterals and mains in 20mM oxalic acid concentration, whereas in 50mM concentration wilting was exhibited at 18-hour intervals for laterals and 18 to 24-hour intervals for main stems when compared to control. Four lines–ICGV 171025, ICGV 181035, ICGV 171002, and ICGV 211107–were reconfirmed as moderately resistant through this assay, consistent with field and glasshouse findings
Geospatial analysis to identify millet suitable areas in the upland rice ecosystem of Odisha
No full textOdisha is a prominent state for rainfed rice cultivation in India which faces severe challenges posed by climate change-induced weather uncertainties. Millets are climate-smart, nutritious crops that can substitute rainfed upland rice in the state. This study identified suitable areas for millet cultivation in the upland regions of Odisha using Sentinel-2 time-series data, DEM and ground data. Through spectral matching techniques, the study accurately delineated areas suitable for millet introduction under upland rice ecosystem. The spatially explicit information provides valuable guidance for the targeted introduction of millets and supporting agricultural management practices amidst climate change conditions. Further, the study evaluated the anticipated economic feasibility of millet cultivation in the upland rice areas. The study identified suitable millet areas across study districts with an overall accuracy of 90.5 %. Stakeholders may improve resource allocation and capitalize on emerging possibilities in Odisha's challenging agro-climatic conditions by providing economic analysis-based decision-making assistance
Pearl Millet Genome Sequencing: Utilization of Sequencing Information for Pearl Millet Improvement
No full textPearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] stands as a climate-smart, sixth most important cereal crop globally. This resilient nutri-cereal is extensively grown by the poor smallholder farmers of the arid and semi-arid tropical regions of South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and serves as a grain and stover crop. Its cultivation spans approximately 31 million ha globally. Major pearl millet-producing countries include India in South Asia, Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania in Eastern Africa and Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali in Western and Central Africa. Pearl millet holds the potential to curtail the challenges posed by climate change, offering food, nutrition, and economic security to more than 500 million people in the world’s poor and nutritionally insecure farming communities in arid regions. Globally, pearl millet production has significantly improved over the past 15 years, mainly due to awareness among people about its nutritional attributes, adoption of high-yielding hybrids, accessibility to improved genetic and genomic tools, and increase in the pearl millet production area in India and West Africa. Good-quality genome sequencing and re-sequencing data of numerous lines together with advanced genomic tools may help in the genomic dissection of different tolerance traits, yield, and offer a good prospect to further enhance the climate-resilient and nutritional attributes of pearl millet. Hence, systematic efforts are needed for the genetic enhancement of this crop to develop superior hybrids/varieties using several omics approaches. This book chapter provides an overview of developments made in pearl millet genetic and genomic resources and their effective exploitation for comprehensive improvement of this next-generation nutri-cereal
Influence of water stress on growth and yield components of selected pigeonpea genotypes
No full textDrought and high temperature mostly influence growth and development of pigeonpea, resulting in forced maturity. Though these stresses have a drastic impact on reducing productivity of pigeonpea, limited efforts have been made towards development of pigeonpea genotypes having tolerance to these abiotic stresses. Therefore, this study was carried out to identify pigeonpea genotypes that can tolerate water stress. A greenhouse experiment was conducted at Upper Kabete field station of the University of Nairobi, Kenya, using fifteen selected pigeonpea genotypes based on ICRISAT descriptors. The fifteen plants were grown under drought stress levels of 40% and 80% field capacity (FC) in comparison to non-drought stress (100% FC) condition in a randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement with three replications. Data was collected on plant growth, physiological and yield attributes. Drought stress reduced 100 seed weight by 14.9 %, number of pods (31.9%) and pod diameter (25%). At the lowest moisture level (40 % FC), drought stress reduced pod weight by 84 %, pod length (2 %), Chlorophyll content (11.9 %) and shell weight (2.4 %). However, reduction of moisture level to 80% FC recorded an increase in pod weight (5.5 %) and pod length (3.4 %) and no significant effect on chlorophyll content and number of seeds per pod. Genotypes ICEAPs 182022, 182014, 182013, 19023 and 86012 performed better in relation to growth and yield despite the increased levels of drought stress. The few identified genotypes can be utilized as potential parents in breeding for drought tolerance
Preface: Omics and Biotechnological Approaches for Product Profile-Driven Sorghum Improvement
No full textThe Food and Agriculture Organization reported that maize, rice, and wheat provide about 60% of the world’s food energy intake, while soybean (an oil crop) is the most commonly used crop in animal feed since it has high protein content. The high demand for these four crops over the years explains the current several agricultural technologies and practices designed to increase their productivity and adaptation to
different environmental conditions. In parallel to this, consumers developed food expectations tailored to these crop species that are hard to change overnight. However, the current and predicted climate change scenarios are placing much pressure on these major crops to the point of thinking they might become minor crops at some point in the future production environments. Most important climate change
indicators include increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, global air temperature increase, drought events, sea surface temperature, and erratic precipitation patterns. These events harm crop production and setback the developed efforts to ensure a stable supply to the growing world’s population
First report of partial dominance of photo-insensitivity in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.)
Get PDFThe time taken from sowing to flowering in pigeonpea is positively associated to its photoperiod responses; and it is expressed in terms of delay in flowering when exposed to long photoperiods. The late maturing genotypes, without exception, are photo-sensitive with critical daylength of around 11 h. The early f lowering types, on the other hand, are invariably photo-insensitive. The past research on this subject has shown that the photo-insensitivity in pigeonpea was controlled by 2-3 simply inherited recessive genes. The present study was designed to understand dominance relationships among photo-sensitive and photo-insensitive alleles in six diverse crosses. It involved two photo insensitive (Prabhat and Pant A3) and three photo-sensitive (Code 14, ICP 7065, T17) genotypes. Under long photoperiods, the three Prabhat hybrids, on average, flowered in 190.8 days, while the Pant A3 hybrids took only 82.1 days to flower. It was concluded that the two photo-insensitive genotypes carried different sets of genes for this trait. In Prabhat the photo-insensitivity was recessive in nature, while in Pant A3 it was controlled by partial dominant genes. This is the first report in pigeonpea where a photo-insensitive genotype with partial dominant genes has been identified
Future Perspectives and Emerging Trends in Crop Biofortification
No full textCrop biofortification, the process of enhancing the nutritional content of crops through genetic or agronomic interventions, has garnered significant attention as a sustainable approach to address global malnutrition. It has been estimated that nearly three billion people are deficient in one or more vitamins/mineral elements making them prone to different diseases such as anemia, beriberi, pellagra, night blindness, rickets, and scurvy. These facts highlight the importance of crop biofortification to increase the nutritional value of food for overcoming the “hidden hunger” problem due to micronutrient deficiency, especially of the vulnerable communities living in poor geographics. Biofortified crops have demonstrated success in addressing these deficiencies, with staple crops such as rice, wheat, maize, pearl millet, finger millet, and beans being targeted for improvement. Advancements made in “omics” technologies including genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and phenomics, coupled with plant breeding and genetic engineering methods, have provided unprecedented opportunities to develop nutritionally-rich and climate resilient crops. Recent breakthrough in genome editing methods has opened new avenues for increasing the bioavailable concentration of essential elements in crop plants. Rational combination of these new research domains along with conventional breeding and metabolic engineering strategies should enable advancement in developing sustainable, stakeholder acceptable, and cost-effective techniques and methodologies for developing nutrient-enriched staple food option for millions of people globally. Collaborative efforts and continued research are essential to overcome obstacles and ensure the successful integration of biofortified crops into agricultural systems, thereby contributing to improved public health and sustainable development
Morphological variability and cluster analysis of 16 bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) genotypes
Get PDFHamdi MFFA, Ilyas S, Qadir A, Mayes S. 2024. Morphological variability and cluster analysis of 16 bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) genotypes. Biodiversitas 25: 97-106. Identifying morphological and germination characters in bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is important to determine the advantages and disadvantages of several genotypes. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of 16 bambara groundnut genotypes based on morphological markers, NDVI score, and germination variables. This study was conducted in Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia in March-July 2018. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with one factor: genotype, which consisted of 16 genotypes originating from Indonesia and Africa. The NDVI score did not affect the yield produced. Tiga Nicuru, DodR-R II, M-14 Gresik, Black Sukabumi, and Black Madura were the genotypes with the highest germination speed, while LunT was the lowest. Cluster analysis showed that bambara groundnut genotypes are classified into 4 clusters. The first cluster belongs to Sumedang and Sukabumi, the second belongs to Gresik, Madura, and Tasikmalaya, the third comes from West Africa (LunT and Tiga Nicuru), and the fourth comes from East Africa (IITA 686 and DodR-R II) and Southern Africa (S 19-3, Uniswa R and Uniswa R/G). The low similarity (28%) between genotypes from Indonesia and Africa shows that there are many differences in morphological characteristics. This high diversity is beneficial for creating superior cultivars