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

Project 2
Sustaining biodiversity of Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Small Millets, Groundnut, Pigeonpea
and Chickpea for current and future generations
Output A: Germplasm of staple crops assembled and conserved and an additional 5% of germplasm
characterized annually and documented for utilization
MTP Output Targets 2006:
• 500 new sorghum accessions from USA
• Unrestricted access to and movement of staple crop germplasm ensured
• Germplasm accessions regenerated for longterm conservation and distribution (at Patancheru genebank)
• Safety copy of germplasm at Niamey genebank conserved and regenerated as appropriate (groundnut 2,000
accessions and pearl millet 5,000 accessions)
Output target A.1: New germplasm of staple crops assembled for conservation and utilization (2009)
Activity A.1.1: Identify gaps and priority areas for germplasm of staple crops
Milestone A.1.1.1: Global databases of chickpea and pigeonpea compared to identify unique germplasm (HDU,
2007)
Germplasm databases of chickpea at ICRISAT and ICARDA were compared and 500 accessions including wild
relatives were identified as unique for inclusion in the genebank. Similarly, we identified from the chickpea
collection maintained at WSU, Pullman, USA 839 accessions as unique for ICRISAT. The chickpea germplasm
collections maintained at National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine (NCPGRU), Ukraine were
compared with our collection and identified 313 accessions as unique for inclusion in our collection.
HD Upadhyaya
Milestone A.1.1.2: Priorities areas identified for chickpea and pigeonpea for collection/assembly in
collaboration with NARS (HDU/NARS scientists, 2008)
Milestone A.1.1.3: Sorghum germplasm from USDA (500 no’s), Pearl millet from Niger (400 accessions) and
pigeonpea collections from Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique (200 accessions) assembled (HDU/CLLG,
2008)
National Bureau of Plant genetic Resources (NBPGR), India has released 483 germplasm samples of sorghum
received from Niger for growing in Post Entry Quarantine Isolation area (PEQIA) for observation and
subsequent release. We are awaiting import permits from the Government of India for acquiring pearl millet
(424) collections from Niger and pigeonpea (231) collections from Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique
presently held at Niamey and Nairobi genebanks, respectively.
HD Upadhyaya and CLL Gowda
Milestone A.1.1.4: Global databases of groundnut and sorghum compared to identify unique germplasm
(HDU, 2008)
Sorghum germplasm databases of ICRISAT and the USDA maintained at NSSL, Fort Collins, USA was
compared and identified 2,708 accessions of Rockefeller collection that were missing from our collection. A
set of 619 accessions from the newly identified set of 2708 accessions, was received from NSSL and added to
the collection. We are making efforts for obtaining the rest of the identified material for filling the existing gaps
in the collection.
The germplasm database of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), China was compared with our
database and identified 250 accessions of sorghum belonging to race Caudatum and subrace Kaoliang and 250
accessions of groundnut germplasm belonging to botanical variety hirsuta as unique for ICRISAT genebank.
HD Upadhyaya
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