Reducing poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the semi-arid tropics by applying promising genomics, genetic engineering, wide-hybridization, diagnostic and bioinformatic tools and approaches to improve ICRISAT’s crops

Molecular and Phenotypic studies

Enlarging Genetic Diversity

First transgenic chickpea.

Pearl millet hybrid HHB 67 Improved.

Pigeonpea A5 CMS system from C. cutifolius.

Molecular Genomics• Abiotic Drought (chickpea, groundnut, pearl millet, sorghum)

• Biotic Ascochyta blight (chickpea) Fusarium (pigeonpea) Striga tolerance (sorghum) Downy mildew (pearl millet)

• Diagnostics Aflatoxin (groundnut)

• Diversity Crops, pathogens, and

insects

• Nutrition Iron and zinc in pearl millet

Genetic Engineering• Abiotic Groundnut: Drought

• Biotic Groundnut: A. flavus,

Indian Peanut Clump Virus (IPCV), Peanut Bud Necrosis Virus (PBNV) Tobacco Streak Virus (TSV)

Chickpea: Pod borers Pigeonpea: Pod borers

• Nutrition Groundnut: b-carotene Pigeonpea: b-carotene,

S-amino acids

Knowledge Sharing

Striga-resistant sorghum.

Crop Improvement Strategies

Genetic Resources

GENES

IMPROVED GERMPLASM

GenomicsWild relativesGenebank accessionsSegregating populationsForward/reverse genetic

systems

Conventional Selection

Marker-Assisted Selection Genetic

Engineering

StructuralFunctional

Center of Excellence in

Genomics

User

User

Bioinformatics PlatformICRIS database: Central / Visible

Marker Assisted SelectionPrecise and large throughput phenotyping.

Sorghum dendogram.

Harnessing Biotechnology for the Poor

Global Theme