Performance and Variability of Local Barley Landraces in Near-Eastern Environments

Homozygous lines from six Syrian and two Jordanian landrace populations were tested under highly productive growing conditions in Tel Hadia (1982/83), under drought stress in Breda (1983/84), and under dryland salinity stress in Hegla (1982/83/84) in Syria. Mean grain yield levels ranged between 260 kg/ha and 4850 kg/ha. Under drought and salinity stress, the majority of the landrace lines out-yielded the best cheeks significantly. In Tel Hadia the check cultivars mostly outyielded the landrace lines, but not always significantly. In all environments the harvest index of the landrace lines was near the optimum for barley. They expressed intermediate plant height and time to flowering, high lodging susceptibility under favorable growing conditions, high protein content, and a wide range of yield component combinations. In the stress environments highly significant genetic variation among the landrace lines was found. The heritabilities for gram yield were high in these trials. The correlations between performance under stress and under favorable growing conditions were poor. Therefore, the largest gains for variety improvement for the Syrian steppe area are expected from direct selection under stress conditions. Unique responses in proline accumulation and germination patterns in saline solution indicated specific adaptation in this material. These landraces, thus, are a useful source of breeding material, which also widens the genetic base of the present breeding program

Surprising flowering response to photoperiod: Preliminary characterization of West and Central African pearl millet germplasm

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is considered to be a short-day species that flowers, or flowers earlier, when day lengths are short. A few studies with two to six planting dates and few selected entries have been conducted in USA (Burton 1965), Senegal (Ramond 1968), and India (Patil et al. 1978, Das 1991). However, there is no known research on the flowering response of pearl millet to photoperiod changes over the entire year. Likewise, knowledge about the photoperiod-sensitivity in West and Central African pearl millets is insufficient

Phosphorus uptake and use efficiency of diverse West and Central African sorghum genotypes under field conditions in Mali

Aims Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], a staple crop in West and Central Africa (WCA), is mostly cultivated on soils with low phosphorus (P) availability and thus adaptation to those conditions is vital for food security. Assessment of genotypic variation of WCA sorghum for P uptake and P use efficiency is undertaken to understand the diversity available and opportunities for its use. Method We assessed mature plant yield, P uptake and P use efficiency traits of 70 diverse WCA sorghum genotypes under –P (no P fertilization) and + P field conditions in Mali in 2010, to discover differences among all genotypes tested and between and within specific genotype groups. Results Large significant genotypic variation for P uptake and P use efficiency traits were observed for all genotypes among and within landrace and researcher bred pools under –P conditions. P uptake traits had a larger genotypic variation than P use efficiency traits. Landrace genotypes showed generally higher P uptake and grain P concentration while formally bred genotypes exhibited a higher P use efficiency. Photoperiod sensitivity was related to higher P uptake. Conclusion Genotypic selection for P uptake and P use efficiency traits to improve adaptation to low P soils is possible in sorghum. Use and further study of WCA sorghums for adaptation to low P availability is appropriate as this germplasm shows large variation for P uptake and use efficiency and higher levels of P use efficiency than other important cereals

Involving women in research for economic growth through agricultural technologies and practices: ICRISAT’s initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa

Although both men and women play substantial economic roles in the semi-arid tropics of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in general women’s preponderant role in agricultural activities in the region cannot be ignored. Cultural norms in the region have long encouraged women to be economically self-reliant and traditionally give women substantial responsibility for agricultural production in their own right. Women in the region have relatively high overall labour-force participation rates and the highest average agricultural labour-force participation rates in the world. Thus, women farmers in the region, irrespective of their ethnic group, substantially contribute to national agricultural production and food security as they are primarily responsible for food crops – food production as well as processing. As an agricultural research institute ICRISAT’s initiatives and programs are technology based; and as gender empowerment is high on ICRISAT’s agenda, most if not all of its projects and programs aim at addressing women with new technologies and knowledge to reach higher agricultural outputs. These, combined with other income generating activities are implemented with an aim to increase women’s income and thus their autonomy and status. In this paper we have taken some major ICRISAT initiatives in some countries of Western Central Africa (Mali, Niger and Nigeria) to look in to the implications for economic growth – for women and their families. Three major initiatives led by ICRISAT are reported here: the Groundnut seed project (2003-2007), Tropical Legumes II in first phase (2008-2010), and the Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement (HOPE) of Sorghum and Millets in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (2009-2012). All these projects have specific activities targeting women and involve technology and crop/seed management practices that were intentionally women-centric with the aim of enhancing women’s capacities and skills in the traditional tasks that they were responsible for, viz. cultivation of crops and seed production. Key words

No need to breed for enhanced colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to improve low-P adaptation of West African sorghums

Aims Western Africa (WA) sorghums are predominantly cultivated under low plant available phosphorus (P) soil conditions with a diverse population of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) present. This study aims to determine whether sorghum breeding programs should target higher colonization by AMF through understanding the genotypic variation of sorghum for AMF-root colonization (AMF-RC) under different P-fertility conditions at different growth stages and assessing the genetics underlying AMF-RC using genome-wide association study (GWAS). Method A sorghum diversity panel of 187 WA genotypes was grown in low-P soil in a pot trial for 38 days and a subset of 13 genotypes was grown in a low- and high-P field until maturity at ICRISAT-Samanko in Mali, WA. Root samples were taken at 38 days from the pot trial plants and at flowering time in the field trials. Shoot biomass was analyzed for P concentration and dry matter yield. GWAS was conducted for shoot-P-content and AMF-RC. Results Significant genotypic variation was observed for AMF-RC, but the repeatability estimates were only low (w2 = 0.15 at 38 days) to moderate (w2 = 0.54–0.56 at flowering time). AMF-RC was significantly higher in low-P versus high-P field conditions. Large residual variation was observed for AMF-RC in both pot and field trials. None of the genotypic groups, contrasting for selection history, race and grain yield performance across multiple field trials, differed significantly for AMF-RC. AMF-RC showed no or negative relationships to shoot-P-content and grain yield, irrespective of soil-P level or plant developmental stage. AMF-RC at 38 days was significantly correlated (r = 67**) to AMF-RC at flowering. However, GWAS did not detect significant genomic regions for AMF-RC but did for shoot-P content

Participatory varietal selection with improved pearl millet in West Africa

A reconnaissance survey and participatory varietal selection trials (PVS) were conducted in four major pearl millet-growing countries of the Sahel between 2001 and 2003. The studies aimed to identify farmers' preferences in improved pearl millet varieties, increase awareness, test new varieties and enhance farmers' access to the improved varieties. Farmers selected five out of 10 tested varieties, with preferred characteristics, namely, maturity cycles of 80-90 d in the Sahel and 90-100 d in the Sudanian agro-ecozones, acceptable grain yield, compact and long (30-100 cm) panicles, a large number of tillers with panicles, adaptation and an acceptable taste. Farmers indicated that their local varieties were of superior adaptation and taste. They mentioned that hindrances to uptake and sustained use of improved varieties were due to lack of awareness, traditional values, seed unavailability, early maturity, bird damage and lack of fertilizer. The strong genotype × environment interactions in the Sahel suggests that breeding should be directed towards producing varieties adapted to specific zones rather than for wide adaptation. Notably, since farmers often cultivate pearl millet without any soil amendments, it may be advisable to disseminate varieties as a package (with fertilizer and agronomic instructions) rather than as varieties alone in a PVS programme, in order to achieve the full potential of improved varieties. The PVS trials are synergistic to plant breeding in identifying varieties suitable for harsh environments, which are difficult to duplicate in the research station. However, in the absence of formal distribution seed systems in the trial countries, village- or community-based seed production of varieties selected by farmers appears critical to the sustainable adoption of selected varieties

Breeding Strategies for Adaptation of Pearl Millet and Sorghum to Climate Variability and Change in West Africa

Semi-arid and subhumid West Africa is characterized by high inter-annual rainfall variability, with variable onset of the rainy season, somewhat more predictable endings, and drought or excess water occurrence at any time during the growing season. Climate change is predicted to increase this variability. This article summarizes options for plant breeders to enhance the adaptation of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) to climate variability in West Africa. Developing variety types with high degrees of heterozygosity and genetic heterogeneity for adaptation traits helps achieving better individual and population buffering capacity. Traits that potentially enhance adaptive phenotypic plasticity or yield stability in variable climates include photoperiod-sensitive flowering, plastic tillering, flooding tolerance, seedling heat tolerance and phosphorus efficiency. Farmer-participatory dynamic gene pool management using broad-based populations and diverse selection environments is useful to develop new diverse germplasm adapted to specific production constraints including climate variability. For sustainable productivity increase, improved cultivars should respond to farmer-adoptable soil fertility management and water harvesting techniques. Larger-scale, on-farm participatory testing will enable assessments of varietal performance under evolving climatic variability, provide perspective on needs and opportunities and enhance adoption. Strengthening seed systems will be required to achieve sustainable impacts

Genetic Diversification and Selection Strategies for Improving Sorghum Grain Yield Under Phosphorous-Deficient Conditions in West Africa

Sorghum, a major crop for income generation and food security in West and Central Africa, is predominantly grown in low-input farming systems with serious soil phosphorus (P) deficiencies. This study (a) estimates genetic parameters needed to design selection protocols that optimize genetic gains for yield under low-phosphorus conditions and (b) examines the utility of introgressed backcross nested association mapping (BCNAM) populations for diversifying Malian breeding materials. A total of 1083 BC1F5 progenies derived from an elite hybrid restorer “Lata-3” and 13 diverse donor accessions were evaluated for yield and agronomic traits under contrasting soil P conditions in Mali in 2013. A subset of 298 progenies were further tested under low-P (LP) and high-P (HP) conditions in 2014 and 2015. Significant genetic variation for grain yield was observed under LP and HP conditions. Selection for grain yield under LP conditions was feasible and more efficient than the indirect selection under HP in all three years of testing. Several of the BCNAM populations exhibited yields under LP conditions that were superior to the elite restorer line used as a recurrent parent. The BCNAM approach appears promising for diversifying the male parent pool with introgression of diverse materials using both adapted Malian breed and unadapted landrace material from distant geographic origins as donors

QTL mapping and validation of fertility restoration in West African sorghum A1 cytoplasm and identification of a potential causative mutation for Rf2

Abstract Key message Major A 1 cytoplasm fertility restoration loci, Rf 2 and Rf 5 , were found in the West African sorghum. A potential causative mutation for Rf 2 was identified. KASP markers were validated on independent material. Abstract To accelerate the identification and development of hybrid parental lines in West African (WA) sorghum, this study aimed to understand the genetics underlying the fertility restoration (Rf) in WA A1 cytoplasmic male sterility system and to develop markers for a routine use in WA breeding programs. We genotyped by sequencing three F2 populations to map the Rf quantitative trait loci (QTL), validated the molecular KASP markers developed from those QTL in two F2:3 populations, and assessed the most promising markers on a set of 95 R- and B-lines from WA breeding programs. Seven QTL were found across the three F2 populations. On chromosome SBI-05, we found a major fertility restorer locus (Rf5) for two populations with the same male parent, explaining 19 and 14% of the phenotypic variation in either population. Minor QTL were detected in these two populations on chromosomes SBI-02, SBI-03, SBI-04 and SBI-10. In the third population, we identified one major fertility restorer locus on chromosome SBI-02, Rf2, explaining 31% of the phenotypic variation. Pentatricopeptide repeat genes in the Rf2 QTL region were sequenced, and we detected in Sobic.002G057050 a missense mutation in the first exon, explaining 81% of the phenotypic variation in a F2:3 population and clearly separating B- from R-lines. The KASP marker developed from this mutation stands as a promising tool for routine use in WA breeding programs