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

Output Target B5: New backcross populations incorporating farmer/ market preferences and disease
resistance and breeding populations with short duration for marginal drought prone areas [2010]
Activity B5.1: Develop groundnut mapping populations (F2/F3) incorporating farmer/market preferred
varieties and known resistance sources for use with MAB
Milestone B5.1.1: At least one new breeding population each for GRD, ELS and rust resistance for ESA by 2009
Several seasons of evaluation of groundnut germplasm under artificial inoculations to create conditions conducive
for resistance screening have identified several unique germplasm with enhanced levels of resistance. Simultaneous
evaluation of the same under normal conditions have revealed few with high yield potential and preferred
confectionary market traits.
The following are the proven sources for Groundnut Rosette Disease resistance: ICGV-SM 90704, ICGV-SM
94584, ICGV-SM 01501, proven sources for ELS; ICGV-SM 93555, ICGV-SM 95714 to be incorporated with
farmer/market confectionary types – CG7, Chalimbana, ICGV-SM 87003, JL24, ICG 12991, ICGV 93437, Robut
33-1. Since the confectionary market is the fastest growing for groundnut demand from ESA, we have initiated a
hybridization program that will combine resistance to the disease constraints with confectionary market traits. The
F1s will be produced during the 2007 main season to generate F2/F3 mapping populations incorporating
farmer/market preferred varieties and known resistance sources for use with MAB by 2009.
Activity B5.2: Phenotype segregating groundnut populations for GRD, ELS and/or rust with NARS in selected
NARS hotspot locations
Milestone B5.2.1: At least 1 backcross population for each farmer preferred variety incorporating one or more
sources of disease (GRD, ELS, rust) resistance or drought tolerance for use in marker assisted backcross
improvement by 2009 (ESM, MO).
No report is due for 2006
Output 4C: Progress in knowledge and/or improved germplasm of nutritionally enhanced transgenic
sorghum and bio-fortified transgenic events and non-transgenic germplasm with enhanced micronutrient
levels available for evaluation with associated capacity building annually from 2009
Output Target C1: Transgenic sorghum breeding lines with increased levels of micronutrients to deliver
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) of vitamins and amino acids developed for use in backcrossing to
adapted varieties
Activity C1.1: Screen a core collection of sorghum germplasm to determine variability in morpho-agronomic
and micronutrients traits
Milestone C.1.1: Variability for grain densities of Fe, Zn and β carotene determined in at least 200 accessions from
at least two ESA countries by 2009
The World Health Organization (WHO) has widely recognized three micronutrients, Fe, Zn and beta carotene as the
most limiting for human health. Essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine are also limiting in the diets of
most people in ESA especially those whose diets are cereals such as sorghum. Commercial varieties that are
available are very low in amino acids and vitamins. Bio-fortification is the process of breeding food crops that are
rich in bio-available micronutrients. A number of initiatives by global alliances are in progress to bio-fortify the
staple food crops. One such is the Grand Challenge for Global Health (GCGH) initiative that is supporting the
project on African Bio-fortified Sorghum. One of the tasks in this project is to assess the natural variability for grain
densities of Fe, Zn and β carotene among 450 landraces composed from the five ABS target countries. The
landraces and varieties have been planted at Kiboko -Kenya during the 2006/07 season and after harvesting grain
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