ICRISAT - ICRISAT: Medium Term Plan 2010-12 - 2010-12

programs. The chickpea mini core was evaluated at ICRISAT Centre and by NARS partners at
different locations in India, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Ukraine. These evaluations have
resulted in identifying several trait specific germplasm for agronomic traits, resistant sources
for important pests and diseases and drought and salinity. These results have been published
in several refereed journal articles and in Archival Reports.
In collaboration with JIRCAS, a significant correlation between the water use efficiency (WUE)
and DELTA¹³C (leaf carbon discrimination) of chickpea has been showed, which means that the
estimation of WUE by using DELTA13C technique is possible. Currently, DELTA13C analysis for
chickpea mini core collection is on-going to evaluate the genetic diversity of WUE.
Using 50 SSR markers data on the composite collection, a reference set consisting of 300
genetically most diverse accessions using a simple matching distance matrix was selected. The
reference set captured 1360 (78%) of the 1741 alleles detected in the composite collection,
and possessed high gene diversity (0.540 to 0.999).
Evaluation of the reference set for resistance to pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, using the
detached leaf assay method suggested that there is considerable variation in the reference set
for resistance/susceptibility. In 2008, we evaluated chickpea reference set/mini core collection
at ICRISAT and NARS locations and identified accessions with specific adaptation under
different conditions, late-sown, irrigated, and rainfed and trait-specific lines for early-maturity,
higher seed yield, and large-seeded kabuli types.
Seed multiplication of chickpea reference set accessions and trait specific germplasm identified
during these experiments is in progress.
Alignment to CGIAR Priorities : 1A: Promoting conservation and characterization of staple
crops; 1B: Promoting conservation and characterization of underutilized plant genetic
resources;
Output 4: Genetic diversity and population structure of staple crops and small
millets assessed and mapping populations, RILs developed and DNA extracts
assembled, conserved and distributed and new knowledge shared with partners
Description:
Genetic diversity and population structure of the staple crops and finger and foxtail millets
assessed and data sets of composite collections genotyping made available globally.
Development of genomic resources for SAT crops. Molecular genetic maps developed for
legume crops. Broadening the genetic base of legumes through wide crosses. DNA extracts of
mini core collections and/or reference sets of mandate crops and finger and foxtail millets
conserved for utilization. Assemble RILs and mapping populations of staple crops for
utilization. Agriculturally beneficial micro-organisms from diverse environments assembled,
characterized and distributed for utilization.
Alignment to CGIAR Priorities : 1A: Promoting conservation and characterization of staple
crops;
Impact Pathways by Output
Output 1: Germplasm of staple crops assembled and conserved and germplasm
characterized and documented for utilization and knowledge shared with partners
Newly acquired germplasm of staple crops and germplasm with incomplete data are
characterized and data is recorded on morpho-agronomic traits, facilitating greater use by
ICRISAT MTP 2010-12 39