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

through bulk storage and marketing is being promoted. To overcome the above constraints, the project has
facilitated the farmers to get organized into Farmers Associations though participatory approaches and helped them
in constructing the storage structures and drier sheds. Panicle driers were also installed in all the cluster villages
which were helpful in drying the produce to the required moisture levels.
The farmers have been trained in various aspects of bulk marketing such as aggregation of the produce, scientific
storage, godown management, grading of the produce, negotiating the sale price with feed manufacturers and
poultry producers, etc.
Bulking and bulk marketing aims at storing the farmers produce in a godown over a period for gaining better market
price. Grains were dried to established moisture levels, which could extend their shelf life and prevent the losses
from pest and diseases. The drier installed in the clusters were useful in ensuring the drying of the produce. The
farmers were able to realize a better price, through enhanced bargaining power, minimization of middlemen
charges/exploitation, increased involvement of the farmers and improved market intelligence that helped in
expanded market.
In 2006, farmers (association) were linked with the poultry feed manufacturers. During the current season farmers
bulked more than 225 t of sorghum and stored in the godowns constructed under the project. The stored produce was
sold to M/s Janaki Feeds Private Limited @ Rs 6000−6250 per t from the project villages in the clusters of
Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Thus, farmers realized an additional income of Rs 750−1250 per t as compared to
the market prices, which were about Rs 5250 per t.
II. Pearl millet
Output target 5A.1: Genetically diverse, high-yielding and downy mildew (DM) resistant pearl millet
parental lines of potential grain hybrids (at least 9 each of seed parents and restorer parents) developed
annually during 2006-2011
Activity 5A.1.1:Develop and characterize regionally adapted high-yielding and DM resistant hybrid parents
Milestone 5A.1.1.1: Diverse range of high-yielding and DM resistant seed parents and restorer parents developed
(KNR/RB/RPT/RS, annual)
Male-sterile line (A-line) development: Development and dissemination of up to nine morphologically diverse A-
lines with high grain yield potential and downy mildew resistance annually continues to be making a direct
contribution to strengthening the hybrid development programs in the public and the private sector. In 2006, nine
2006-series A-lines (2 A 1 cytoplasm and 7 A 4 cytoplasm) with 40−54 days to flowering, 13−23 cm panicle length
and 7.4−13.8 g 1000-seed mass were developed for dissemination. Under high disease pressure in the glasshouse
(more than 95% DM incidence in susceptible check 843B), four of these were highly resistant (0−10% DM
incidence) to all the five diverse pathotypes (Jodhpur, Jalna, Jamnagar, Durgapura and Patancheru), another four
were resistant to at least four of the five pathotypes, and one was resistant to three pathotypes (Jodhpur, Durgapura
and Jamnagar). Conversion of 34 elite maintainers of A 1 CMS system into A 4 -system A-lines was completed. The
sixth and final backcross of these maintainers was completed to convert them into A 5 -system A-lines. Seed of these
A 4 - and A 5 -system A-lines is now available for dissemination. About 210 B-lines and their counterpart backcross
(BC) progenies were evaluated and backcrossed for further advancement for A-line breeding. Of these, 172 B-lines
and their BC 5 –BC 10 progenies (67 A 1 , 97 A 4 and 48 A 5 ) were selected for further advancement. Another set of 165
B-lines and their early generation BC progenies (61A 1 , 92A 4 and 84A 5 ) were evaluated of which 120 B-lines were
selected for advancing to BC 2 -BC 4 . First backcross was made with 11 B-lines, of which 5 B-lines and their
backcross progenies (1 A 1 , 5 A 4 and 5 A 5 ) were selected for further backcrossing.
In a continuing effort of pyramiding DM resistance genes into ICMB 89111, all the 260 BC 5 F 4 progenies were
screened against Patancheru pathotype under heavy disease pressure (>95% DM incidence in susceptible check
81B) under glasshouse condition. About 70 resistant progenies (d 2 dwarf) with