Pearl millet breeding for non-conventional traits and ecologies in South Asia (SA) and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)

AbstractFollowing the principal of demand driven research, key priority areas identified for SA program in Consultation meetings with partners held in 2009, 2011 and 2013 were: blast disease, forage, and heat tolerance. Breeding materials comprising of hybrid parents and germplasm accessions having multi-pathotype resistance to blast were identified, and were utilized in the development of new Blast Resistant breeding materials. Multi-year and multi-location screening of breeding materials were done in high heat stress ecology (air temperatures of >42oC) during summers of 2009-2015 and stable sources of heat tolerance were identified, and new wave of breeding materials have been generated. On forage research, new high biomass materials were identified and utilized to generate hybrids and OPVs providing green forage yields of 45-55 tons ha-1. With the objective of expanding pearl millet hybrid technology to Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region, hybrids were evaluated in ESA region between 2012-2015 which led to identification of some promising hybrids which out yielded local checks by 20-40% in grain yield.

Introduction and ActivitiesLeaf blast on pearl millet, caused by Pyricularia grisea, has emerged as a serious disease during the past 5-6 years in several parts of India. This disease not only affects grain and fodder yield but also the fodder quality. Screening protocols have been standardized now, new sources of resistance identified and new breeding are being developed having resistance to blast.

Pearl millet has recently emerged as a highly productive and remunerative summer season crop in western parts of India. During the flowering period in this season, the air temperature often exceeds 42°C and may reach as high as 45°C, leading to poor seed set and low grain yield. Screening protocols were standardized, new heat tolerant materials were developed and used to generate new wave of heat tolerant breeding lines.

Pearl millet is expanding as forage crop in summer season but there is limited genetic diversity available in present day available cultivars. New high biomass materials have been identified and OPVs and hybrids have been developed providing 40-50 tons per ha of green biomass.

Results and DiscussionsPearl millet research priorities identified in earlier Consortium Consultation Meetings (CCMs) and accomplishmentsTrait AccomplishmentsBlast ▪ Flowering period heat tolerance

▪ Forage ▪ Virulent pathotypes characterized and resistant sources identified ▪ Genetics of blast resistance revealed ▪ Blast resistant B- and R- lines developed ▪ Blast resistant Composites developed for Seed and Restorer parent

Flowering period heat tolerance

▪ Screening protocol standardized under field and controlled environments

▪ Strategic studies and Heat tolerant sources identified ▪ Heat tolerant breeding lines and Composites developed through

shuttle breedingForage ▪ High stover yield germplasm identified from mini-core

▪ Forage type A-B- pairs developed ▪ Forage type breeding lines and Composites developed ▪ Forage type Top-crosses and 3-Way crosses under investigation

S.no Entry

Fresh Stalk Yield

(tons/ha)

Dry Stalk Yield

(tons/ha)

Fresh Stalk Yield

(tons/ha)

Dry Stalk Yield

(tons/ha)

Fresh Stalk Yield

(tons/ha)

Dry Stalk Yield

(tons/ha)

Hybrids Gujarat MP Pooled

1 ICMV 05222 58.1 27.3 30.6 13.3 44.4 20.3

2 ICMV 05777 51.8 23.2 32.7 13.9 42.3 18.6

3 IP 6107 47.0 21.0 28.7 12.3 37.8 16.6

Populations/OPVs

4 ICMA 00444 X IP 6202* 96.7 39.8 21.5 12.8 59.1 26.3

5 ICMA 09888 X IP 11431* 89.7 35.7 33.4 14.0 61.5 24.9

6 ICMA 09888 X IP 13150* 85.0 33.3 33.5 15.8 59.3 24.6

*Based on trials conducted during 2014 - 2015

Flowering period heat tolerance

Fig. Effect of high temperature on pearl millet panicles.

Selections for high seed set under heat stress ecology have been made and further alternated with generation advance during the rainy season at ICRISAT, Patancheru which led to the production of S4-S7 progenies that have shown very high seed set (ranging from 67 to 90%).

Pearl millet as Forage ▪ High stover yield germplasm

identified from germplasm ▪ Forage type A-/B- pairs and

R-lines developed ▪ Forage type breeding lines and

composites developed ▪ Forage type Top-crosses

and 3-way crosses under investigation.

▪ Parental lines involved in HTBC: SS from 66.0 to 82.0%

▪ 25 HTBC S6 progenies (derived using materials from target ecology)

▪ 20 HTBC S2 progenies: SS from 49.0 to 84.0%.

▪ 36 hybrids from India tested for adaptation in Kenya and Tanzania over two seasons (2013-14, 2014)

▪ Identified hybrids in PVS.

SK Gupta1 and Henry Ojulong2 1ICRISAT, Patancheru 502 324, Telangana, India. E-mail: s.gupta@cgiar.org2ICRISAT, Box 39063, Nairobi Kenya. E-mail: h.ojulong@cgiar.org

Table. Identified heat tolerant breeding materials*

Lines SS (%)

B-lines ICMB 08888 78

ICMB 05888 76

ICMB 06555 73

ICMB 00333 70

ICMB 03555 70

ICMB 05666 70

ICMB 92777 70

ICMB 02333 69

ICMB 04999 65

ICMB 06111 65

R-lines ICMR 08444 68

ICMR 09777 67

ICMR 09999 67

ICMR 06555 64

8-progenies from MC-94 >60

9-progenies from ICTP-8202 >60

Population MC 94 15-90

ICTP 8202 38-82

ICMV 82312 75-90

Germplasm line IP 19877 69

Checks 9444 71

86M86 64

Nandi 52 61

Pearl Millet Hybrids in Eastern & Southern Africa (ESA)

Nov 2016

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