ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

Activity 3B3.1: Farmer-participatory recurrent selection for head/grain yield in diversified pearl millet
populations
Milestones: Four improved, farmer-preferred pearl millet OPVs available to farmers in Niger and Mali (2009)
Farmers conducted full-sib progeny trials in population crosses at three locations in northern Nigeria, targeting the
Sahelian zone. Farmers made visual selections, and researcher conducted agronomic evaluations. Joint selections are
being recombined for further recurrent selection.
BIG Haussmann and S Boureima
Activity 3B3.2: Farmer-participatory sorghum variety development and testing
Milestones: Farmer preferred varieties from on-going trials registered in Malian Variety catalog (2007)
A set of 15 tall guinea race lines and varieties, and 15 short line and varieties were evaluated during 2005 and 2006
in multi-location yield trials in two areas of Mali, in the Sudanian zone. The trials were conducted at two research
stations, and in 10 villages in 2005, and 9 villages in 2006. The varieties were assessed by researchers for agronomic
performance traits (grain yield, panicle yield, panicle number, and 1000 grain mass). Farmers who grew the trials,
evaluated the plots at regular intervals visually. Other farmers from the vicinity visited the trials before harvest, and
scored each plot for its desirability. After harvest, and analysis of the agronomic and preference data, farmers and
researchers selected together the four best entries in each village. These four varieties were evaluated for their
processing characteristics for local dishes, as well as for culinary traits of the main dish commonly prepared from
sorghum in this region. The data is presently being analyzed for preparing release proposals, and other publications.
E Weltzien, HFW Rattunde, with IER, ULPC and AOPP
Tools for farmer participatory early generation testing of sorghum genotypes published (2008)
Specific tools for facilitating farmers’ input into the evaluation and selection of sorghum varieties under testing have
been tested over the past years in Mali. During 2006 these tools were disseminated through a training program for
breeders. The tools are now being used in four countries in West-Africa. Based on feed-back from these users a
publication shall be prepared.
E Weltzien, HFW Rattunde with IER
Activity 3B3.3: Information on variety adaptation made widely available
Milestones: Regional validation of the variety adaptation maps reported with the breeders of WCA countries (2008)
In collaboration with Agryhmet and using the regional data sets of weather observations, and a simplified water
balance model, the dates for the end and the beginning of the rainy season across different ecologies in West Africa
were estimated. Based on these estimates, and the known dates of flowering of widely tested photoperiod sensitive
sorghum and pearl millet varieties, zones of adaptation were proposed, and mapped. Further refinement of these
maps is under discussion.
PCS Traore, B Clerget, BIG Haussmann, E Weltzien, HFW Rattunde with IER
Publication of results, based on field studies and modeling, on the effect of Striga resistance of the host crop
varieties on the effectiveness of different combinations of Striga control techniques (2008)
Trials observing Striga seed bank dynamics were conducted during 2005 and 2006 at Samanko, and Sadore
estimating factors contributing Striga both seed production as well loss of viable seed in the soil. The preparation of
a PhD thesis is underway.
T van Mourik
Output target 3B4: Availability of allele-specific molecular markers for genes controlling photoperiod
sensitivity of flowering time in pearl millet and sorghum
As photoperiod sensitivity is key for varietal adaptation of sorghum and pearl millet in WCA, we are investigating
options for increasing our efficiency in handling this character in a breeding program through the application of
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