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

incentives for agro-processors to introduce price premiums for quality that stimulate sustained investment in
improved seed.
RB Jones
Output Target A10: Pigeonpea and groundnut transformation protocol developed in Asia applied to locally
adapted varieties in ESA [2009].
Activity A10.1: Establish tissue culture protocol for various local pigeonpea and groundnut varieties
Milestone A10.1.1: Evaluate and establish seven locally adapted pigeonpea varieties in tissue culture (2006)
Seven pigeon pea varieties, adapted to the ESA region, as well as the Indian variety ICPL 88039 which was used as
control, were introduced into tissue culture in the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute’s Biotechnology
laboratories. The varieties were from different duration types as well as those with resistance to Fusarium and
included ICPL 86012, ICPL 87091, ICPV 00020, ICPV 00040, ICPV 00053, ICPV 00554 and ICPV 00447. The
tissue culture responses of the different varieties were evaluated for suitability for subsequent transformation. All
seven ESA adapted varieties responded well and it was possible to regenerate rooted plants from seed explants of all
the varieties. However, the medium (ICPV 00554 and ICPV 00557) and short duration varieties (ICPL 88091 and
ICPL 86012) reponded best and ICPV 00554 and ICPV 00557 will be used in transformation studies in 2007.
S de Villiers, D Hoisington, E Gwata, E Manyasa and S Silim
Output 4 B: New knowledge of the QTLs for the stay green trait confirmed, marker assisted selection
efficiency improved, specific abiotic stress tolerant varieties and associated knowledge and capacity building
measures for sorghum, pearl millet and groundnuts developed and disseminated annually in ESA from 2009
onwards
MTP Output Target: 3 partners received training in generation and interpretation of marker data for MAS in
sorghum (Staygreen and Striga)
Output target: B1: 2 QTLs for stay-green introgressed into Sorghum farmer varieties (2008)
Activity B1.1: Develop marker assisted breeding of the stay- green trait of sorghum to enhance terminal drought
tolerance in East African farmer-preferred varieties.
Milestone B1.1.1: Capacity of the NARS in marker assisted breeding technologies enhanced through MSc. training
by 2007 (DK, TH)
Milestone B1.1.3: Efficiency and effectiveness of marker assisted breeding for stay-green trait in sorghum
backgrounds determined by 2008
Attempts by plant breeders to exploit genetic variation for drought tolerance through conventional methods to
improve grain yields have proven slow and ardous. However, molecular marker technology has provided powerful
tools needed to dissect complex traits such as drought tolerance. A series of backcrosses has already been initiated
to transfer the stay green trait from donor parents B35 and E 36-1 into a wide range of elite tropically adapted
sorghum varieties including S35, Macia, ICSV 111 and ICSV 112 which are currently grown by resource-poor
farmers in Africa. African adapted open pollinated varieties I ICSV 112, Macia and S35 have been advanced from
BC1 to BC2 for stay green donor E-36 using SSR-based marker assisted selection targeting 6 stay green QTLs that
were detected. During the process, foreground selection has been made to select QTLs of interest and background
selection has been undertaken to select for all the loci of the recurrent parent. Near isogenic lines could then be
developed for individual stay green QTLs so that the physiological responses associated with individual QTLs
controlling various components of the stay green traits and interactions among these QTLs can be dissected.
Consistently identified QTLs are therefore good candidates for marker assisted introgression into locally adapted
varieties.
However, before marker assisted selection for stay green is applied widely in breeding programs that target
extremely drought stressed environments, the benefit of stay green for yield performance and stability should be
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