ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

cultivars, landraces, synthetics, wild relatives, their
derivatives and cytogenetic stocks are being
analysed for the micronutrient content. For chemical
analysis of iron and zinc whole grain samples from
cultivated and wild accession were taken. It was
decided to share a common set of genotypes at all
the centers for the purpose of inter centre
collaboration of the AAS at different centres. A high
correlation between flag leaf iron and zinc content
with those of seed content of potential donors was
observed suggesting that the flag leaf content could
be used as an indicator for high grain micronutrient
content during early generation selection. For total
carotenoid estimations, germplasm consisting of 225
wheat accessions, including varieties and locals from
T. aestivum, T. durum, T. dicoccum, mutant lines as
well as less cultivated species of tetraploid wheat
were grown at Hol farm during 2005-06 season using
RBD design in two replications and harvested
manually.
A set of 68 lines, including 15 cultivated wheats, 10
accessions of T. dicoccum and 43 T. dicoccoides,
were analyzed for phytic acid content in the grains in
three replicates. In cultivated wheats, the phytic acid
content ranged from 81.8mg/100g in CS to 99.5
mg/100g in C306. In T. dicoccoides accessions the
phytic acid content ranged from 72.9mg in 601012 to
101.3 in 4637. Maximum phytic acid content
(121.91mg/100g) was observed in T. dicoccum acc.
DDK 1018. For Interspecific hybridization to transfer
high micronutrient content traits, crosses were made
between wild species (putative) donors and
hexaploid recipient parents. A number of interspecific
hybrids were treated with colchicine for chromosome
doubling and as many as nine synthetic amphiploids
were generated which will be used for transferring
useful variability as translocation, substitution and
addition lines. Towards mechanism of micronutrient
uptake and partitioning and accumulation
investigation a set of related species and cultivated
varieties has been grown in the field with
recommended dose of fertilizer and spacing. Plants
will be uprooted at different growing stages and
micronutrient studies will be carried out in the plant
parts and in the soils to find differences among the
genotypes in the partitioning.
(ii) Development of micronutrient-enriched maize
through molecular breeding
The Network Project on Maize Biofortification,
involving three institutions (VPKAS, Almora; IARI,
New Delhi; HPKV, Palampur) was sanctioned in
December 2005. The salient accomplishments are
as follows: For analysis of genetic variability for
kernel micronutrient content of the Indian maize
germplasm a total of 82 maize genotypes including
29 popular CM (Coordinated Maize) lines and 53
maize landraces collected from diverse agroecologies
were analyzed for kernel micronutrients
(Fe, Zn and P) using Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer. The kernel Fe and Zn content in
the material analyzed ranged from 15-76 mg/kg and
16-56 mg/kg, respectively. This study led to the
identification of potential maize genotypes with
higher Fe and Zn content. Towards Multi-location
evaluation of maize germplasm for kernel
micronutrient analysis an experiment was
undertaken during Kharif-2006 at three locations (i)
IARI, New Delhi; (ii) VPKAS, Almora; and (iii) HPKV
Research Station, Bajaura in order to identify
promising germplasm for different agro-ecologies.
The materials comprised of a common set of 100
maize inbred lines/landraces collected from different
sources and the analysis for micronutrient content is
in progress at all the these centres.
For molecular characterization of selected maize
lines based on kernel micronutrient content a set of
20 promising maize inbred lines were selected for
molecular analysis. Analysis for molecular
polymorphisms in the selected set of maize inbred
lines has been partially completed using 30 SSR
markers covering various bin locations in the maize
genome. Also transfer of Low Phytate gene in the
genetic background of Quality Protein Maize (QPM)
lines attempted. Out of six low phytate lines, two viz.
A619 1-1 and A619 2-2 were crossed with VQL 1 and
VQL 5, QPM lines developed at VPKAS, Almora. The
seeds, thus obtained will be utilized during the
ensuing season. The same set of low phytate donors
were used to study polymorphism between the
donors and recipients. The amplified products did not
give any polymorphism. The amplified products of
both the donors and the recipients were digested with
more than 10 restriction enzymes. Only two enzymes
viz. MspI and DPN II were found to have restriction
sites within the amplified products.
47 Research and Development