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

Milestone C.6.3.1: Diversity for micronutrients contents in a sorghum core collection from at least 2 ABS target
countries established (MAM/SGM/HDU, 2008)
The African Bio-fortified Sorghum Project intends to develop transgenic sorghum varieties that will deliver
essential amino acids; lysine, threonine, methionine and tryptophan; vitamins A and E; iron; and zinc which are
deficient in sorghum to African populations in the arid and semi-arid tropics. Field work has been initiated to
document diversity of the above traits in sorghum germplasm and close gaps in sorghum germplasm from the at
least two ESA countries. In 2006, using GIS we mapped sorghum collection sites in order to identify collection
gaps. Further we examined ABS target countries in order to identify the major collection gaps within those
countries targeting planned collection missions. We used data available at ICRISAT genebank and in addition
we sought for information on collections that have been done by the national gene banks to update the database.
The National Gene bank of Kenya provided us with 994 data sets while the Genetic Resources Unit of the
National Department of Agriculture of South Africa provided us with 257 data sets. A core collection of
sorghum from 5 ABS target countries has been formed and it contains 426 accessions. This collection was
planted at Kiboko, Kenya in November 2006 for agronomic characterization. Additional accessions that are
known to have great variation in the ABS traits of interest were included for characterization. The National
Gene bank of Kenya, KARI and ICRISAT carried out a joint collection mission in July-August 2006 and a total
of 154 accessions were collected from Western, Rift Valley, Eastern and Coastal provinces of Kenya. The
collections have been incorporated in the GIS map of Kenya and have been planted for morphological
characterization at KARI-Embu. Saturated GIS maps for Kenya sorghum collections are therefore available
MA Mgonja, SG Mwangi and HD Upadhyaya
Activity C.6.4: Evaluate groundnut mini core collection/wild species in ESA
Milestone C.6.4.1: Mini core collection of groundnut evaluated for agronomic traits at different locations in
ESA (ESM/HDU 2008)
Milestone C.6.4.2: Wild Arachis evaluated for target traits (GRD, ELS, aflatoxin resistance) at hotspot locations
in ESA (ESM/HDU etc. 2009)
Milestone C.6.4.3: Gene introgression carried out for foliar and viral disease resistance from wild Arachis
germplasm into cultivated varieties (ESM/HDU etc. 2010)
Output target C.7: Trait specific germplasm of staple crops and small millets available for utilization
(2009)
Activity C.7.1: Ensure availability of germplasm accessions for selected traits of staple crops and small
millets to partners
Milestone C.7.1.1: Trait specific germplasm regenerated/multiplied for distribution to partners on request
(HDU/CLLG/RPT-PQL/NBPGR, Annual)
Groundnut: Multiplied the seed of 21 early maturing, 18 drought tolerant and 60 high yielding combined with
other traits of economic importance groundnut accessions for distribution to partners.
Chickpea: Multiplied the seed of 28 early maturing and 18 droughts tolerant, 16 large-seeded kabuli, 39 high
yielding combined with other traits of economic importance, 29 salinity tolerant chickpea accessions for
distribution to partners.
Mini core: Multiplied the seed of chickpea, pigeonpea, and groundnut mini core collections for distribution to
partners.
HD Upadhyaya, CLL Gowda, RP Thakur and NBPGR
Output target C.8: Germplasm reference collections available for utilization (2009)
Activity C.8.1: Ensure availability of reference collections of staple crops and small millets to partners
Milestone C.8.1.1: Germplasm accessions of reference collections regenerated/multiplied for distribution to
partners on request (HDU/RPT/CLLG/NBPGR, Annual)
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