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

and 0.76) in two of the three dryland environments. Only in the most severely stressed environment, where virtually
all of the lines senesced, were the relationships non-significant. Thus, backcrossing the non-senescence trait into a
generally senescent lines should result in improved grain filling and, therefore, improved grain yield in most
dryland, postrainy season environments, at least when introgressed into genetic background as senescent as R 16.
An attempt to explain differences in various ruminant nutritional quality traits of the stover of the R 16 QTL
introgression lines by differences in stay-green indicated no quantitative relationship in four of the five
environments. Only in the 2005−2006 supplementally irrigated environment, where the leaf senescence was
generally less than that in the other environments, was there a modest relationship between % GLA and stover N%
and % GLA and stover digestibility. This was despite six of the introgression lines having a significantly higher
mean N% than R 16 across all environments. It may be that a stronger expression of stay-green will be needed in
the introgression lines to significantly improved the stover quality.
FR Bidinger, CT Hash and M Blümmel
Milestone 5A.7.1.2: Stay-green QTL mapping of E 36-1 confirmed based on phenotypic assessment of two F 6
RIL populations genotyped with DArT, SSR, and CISP-SNP markers (CTH/SS/SPD/VV, 2010)
Progress to be reported in subsequent years
Milestone 5A.7.1.3: Stay-green QTL introgression sorghum lines based on donor parent E 36-1 available for
phenotypic evaluation in two diverse genetic backgrounds (CTH/SPD, 2011)
Progress to be reported in subsequent years
Milestone 5A.7.1.4: Initial evaluation of animal performance on near-isogenic hybrids differing in allelic
composition at two stay-green QTLs completed (CTH/SPD/MB/BVSR, 2010)
Progress to be reported in subsequent years
Output target 5A.8: Commercialization of sorghum grains and impact of improved germplasm enhanced
Activity 5A.8.1: Strengthen research and development partnerships, and technology exchange
Milestone 5A.8.1.1: Hybrid parents (>50) and other breeding materials (>100) supplied to NARS and their impact
assessed (BVSR/Sorghum Team—annual)
Seed producers’ sorghum hybrid trial (SPSHT): Public and private sector scientists utilize ICRISAT-bred hybrid
parents for developing commercial hybrids. To assess the performance of sorghum hybrids produced by different
private and public sector organizations, “Seed producers’ sorghum hybrid trials” are constituted and coordinated in
rainy and postrainy seasons by ICRISAT as one of the activities of the ICRISAT-Private sector Sorghum Hybrids
Parents Research Consortium. Under this activity, SPSHT during the 2006 rainy season with 14 entries was
conducted at five consortium members’ locations (Biostadt, Aurangabad; MHseeds, Jalna; Emergent Genetics,
Hyderabad; Kanchan Ganga and Nuziveedu Seeds (2 locations), Hyderabad; and Tulasi Seeds, Guntur) who
volunteered to conduct the trial as well as at ICRISAT, Patancheru. Due to incessant rains at crop maturity stage in
Guntur, the grain yields were so low that the trial was lost. Data from the other five locations were analyzed and
reports distributed to all consortium members who contributed the hybrids. The results showed that the mean grain
yield of MLSH 60 was on par with the check SPH 1342, with 10% larger grains. Among the others, three hybrids
viz., BSH 10, BSH 33, and BSH 31 were comparable to the check CSH 16 for grain size.
Sorghum scientists’ field days: Field visits were arranged for public and private sector scientists. Sorghum
scientists’ field day was organized at ICRISAT, Patancheru on 28-29 September 2006 for public and private sector
scientists for selection of the breeding materials and to get feedback on the ICRISAT-supplied breeding material. A
total of 46 scientists (28 public sector and 18 private sector scientists) participated in the field day and selected 971
distinct lines. A total of 2460 sorghum seed samples (1377 samples including 459 samples of designated hybrid seed
parents selected by 13 public sector scientists and 1083 samples including 365 samples of designated hybrid seed
parents selected by 11 private sector scientists) were supplied. The selected progenies/lines (where sufficient seed is
not available) are being multiplied in 2006−07 postrainy season to supply them in February 2007.
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