Feature Stories

Newsletter October 2017, No. 1746

discovery to delivery for the drylands

Moving towards the restoration of groundnut pyramids in northern Nigeria

Early adoption studies in Nigeria reveal promising adoption rates for improved groundnut varieties. In the

five states targeted for USAID project implementation, groundnut varieties Samnut 24, Samnut 25, and Samnut 26 are being used by at least 36% of farmers, with most farmers planting more than one. About 82% of the farmers interviewed re-affirmed their preference for Samnut 24. In communities not targeted by the project, farmers have been using both local and improved varieties, with Samnut 24 being used by over half (55%) of the farmers.

This may be good news for Nigeria, which used to be a leading exporter of groundnut in the 1960s and early 1970s but saw rosette disease and drought destroy nearly one million hectares of cultivated groundnut in northern Nigeria. There is hope that the groundnut pyramids — sacks of groundnut stacked up in pyramid-like structures that signified prosperity and served as a tourist attraction — which once dotted the landscape could return, thanks to

Harvesting Samnut 24 in Nigeria.

Photo: Hakeem Ajeigbe, ICRISAT

the Nigerian government’s efforts. Rosette-resistant groundnut varieties developed by ICRISAT’s scientists, in partnership with the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) of the Ahmadu Bello University, are helping in the efforts.

In 2012, ICRISAT was contracted to provide technical support to the groundnut value chain of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria. In northern Nigeria, groundnut is grown mainly under rain-fed conditions by resource poor farmers. Cultivation received a boost with the release of early-maturing Samnut 24 (ICIAR 19BT) in January 2012 and the introduction of practices encouraging dry season groundnut cultivation for seed, grain and fodder. This also helped improve seed availability in the rainy season. In addition, farmers made appreciable profits selling fodder produced during the dry season. Two other varieties [Samnut 25 (ICGX-SM-00020/PS/P10) and

2 October 2017 1746

Samnut 26 (ICGX-SM-00018/P5/P15/P2)] were released in December 2014.

Beginning in 2015, ICRISAT Nigeria facilitated the setting up of 31 hectares of community-based seed production plots with Samnut 24; seed multiplication plots have been doubling in subsequent cropping seasons in the five northern states targeted for project implementation. State-based initiatives for their promotion have increased. In Jigawa State, for example, while 1,735 hectares were planted with Samnut 24 during the 2016 cropping season, this grew to 3,528 hectares during the 2017 cropping season. Now, other project and non-project states have embarked on promoting these improved groundnut varieties.

In addition to the improved varieties, 1223 lead farmers improved their knowledge and skills in integrated crop management (ICM) through training between August 2015 and June 2017. This excluded farmer-to-farmer exchanges. Collaboration among donor-funded projects (USAID-Groundnut Upscaling, TL III and FAO) and civil society organizations has taken improved groundnut varieties to 12 additional states, as against the initial 6. Over 10 tons of Breeder seeds and 65 tons of Foundation seed were distributed to seed companies and community seed producers in Nigeria and partners in Ghana. g

A visit by dignitaries to a seed production plot.

Photo: Michael Vabi, ICRISAT

Projects: ▪ Increasing Groundnut Productivity of Smallholder farmers in

Ghana, Mali and Nigeria (2015-2018) ▪ Groundnut value chain of the Agricultural Transformation

Agenda (ATA) ▪ Tropical Legumes II and III ▪ CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes

Partners: Increasing Groundnut Productivity of Smallholder farmers in Ghana, Mali and Nigeria (2015-2018): Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR); Centre for Dryland Agriculture/Bayero University, Kano (CDA/BUK); National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC); Federal University of Agriculture, Markudi (FUAM Green Sahel Agricultural and Rural Development Initiative (GSARDI); Catholic Relief Services (CRS); Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN);and Agricultural Development Projects of Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto States.

Groundnut value chain of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) (2012-2014): Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD); IAR; CDA/BUK; NASC; GSARDI; WOFAN; and Agricultural Development Projects of Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Niger, Sokoto and Yobe States.

Tropical Legumes (TL III):IAR; CDA/BUK; NASC GSARDI; WOFAN; and Agricultural Development Projects of Kano, Jigawa, Katsina and Bauchi States.

Funders: United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF); and Federal Government of Nigeria..

This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

An example of ICRISAT’s demand-driven innovation in Nigeria: Oil-rich groundnut varieties (Samnut 23, 24) have increased prosperity, provided employment, and proven instrumental in empowering women (Source: ICRISAT).

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A seed revolving fund is driving Malawi’s groundnut revival

Access to good seeds is often branded by development experts as the missing link to food security and

agricultural growth for many farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Less than 20 percent of Africa’s farmland is planted with improved crop varieties. This is particularly true for tropical legumes like groundnut, common bean or pigeonpea. An innovative groundnut seed revolving fund in Malawi, set up by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in 1999, thanks to USAID and Irish Aid support, and managed by and for the smallholder farmers, has nurtured a solid local private seed industry and boosted the groundnut production.

The young Malawi nation (two out of three people are under 25) is ranked among the poorest countries. The majority of households rely heavily on the climate-affected agriculture sector, and two consecutive drought years prevented any improvements in their living standards. Maize production, the dominant staple food, dropped by a third in 2016 (WB data). Boosting smallholder farm productivity is seen as key to reducing widespread poverty. A better diversity on farms and plates would certainly help livelihoods and nutrition, as was recently concluded in a global nutrition review.

A good step forward would be for Malawi smallholder farmers to grow more nutritious nitrogen-fixing legumes like groundnut and pigeonpea. One limiting factor is that they have little access to quality legume seeds. The private seed sector has not been investing to produce improved legume seeds, and when they want to renew their seed

stock, smallholder farmers rely on informal seed channels, from exchange between neighbors or kin to buying grain converted to seeds of doubtful quality at the local market.

ICRISAT has set up an innovative seed revolving fund to reverse this situation by providing high quality seeds of improved varieties in a sustainable manner and at a reasonable cost for Malawi smallholdings. USAID gave the start-up funding for farmers to produce groundnut foundation seeds in 1999. With later support from Irish Aid, this seed revolving scheme has now generated a vibrant local seed industry, producing tons of foundation and then certified seeds of crop varieties that are pest-resistant, drought-tolerant and high-yielding. As a result, groundnut production and incomes rose for many smallholder farmers, like Mary Kumwenda.

Farm laborer and mother of three, Mary joined Madede seed growers club in Mzimba District of Malawi in 2012, where she was trained in groundnut seed production and received 20 kg of groundnut breeder seeds for multiplication. She harvested 222 kgs of basic seed and made a decent MWK 78,000 profit (about $107). The next year, she doubled the surface and tripled seed production thanks to good rains. She made a profit of MWK 321,000, about 1.5 times the national average income.

How Does the Seed Revolving Fund (SRF) Work?

Central to the SRF are the seed producing clubs of 10-15 smallholder farmers which are trained in seed production, management and group dynamics. These clubs are

A woman in Malawi tosses groundnuts.

Photo: Alina Paul-Bossuet, ICRISAT

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contracted by the SRF to produce foundation seeds, which are bought back at agreed prices. Small growers like Mary receive the pre-basic seeds on credit from ICRISAT, while individual larger farmers, who could also be contracted to multiply seeds for the SRF, have to pay for the early generation seeds in advance.

Foundation seeds are then sold to local seed ventures for multiplication into certified seeds, which are then sold to farmers by agrodealers. Proceeds of the sales realized through the SRF cover the cost of warehouse, seed packaging and transport, and the seed fund is able to engage more smallholder farmers every year.

From 2008, besides foundation seed production, SRF moved to include certified seed production to supply the Malawi government-supported Farm Inputs Subsidy Program. It follows a proper business model, with key decisions on variety choice based on market needs, seed quantity, coverage strategy, seed quality assurance system and seed pricing for SRF sustainability.

For Mary, the groundnut seed revolving fund is a real change maker. The proceeds of her seed activity helped her to make her farming system more profitable. She has gained a sense of entrepreneurship and now feels her family is food secure.

“With the seed sales, I was able to start a small fritter business. I also bought some fertilizer for my maize field. The seed incomes kept my family food secure throughout the year, and we will soon move from our small grass thatch hut to my dream house, with a concrete floor and solid iron sheet roof,” she says.

Mary’s example is not a unique “gender empowerment” story, as the seed producing clubs enroll many women (47 percent of their members are women) — a rightful return, as women have a traditional role of household "seed security guardian," especially for grain legumes.

As it grows, the seed fund is diversifying into more crops, like common beans and pigeonpea, with local seed companies getting more involved particularly in certified seed production and marketing, as they began to see the value for money in producing quality legumes seeds. Most of these seed ventures are members of the Malawi Seed Alliance, an association created by ICRISAT to manage the seed revolving fund.

All About Seed Trust

Average groundnut yield has been very low for years, as farmers face many constraints from poor soils, pests or drought. Over the years, ICRISAT and the Malawi groundnut research institutions have developed improved

varieties like the Nsinjiro, a confectionary type peanut that is resistant to rosette — a very damaging groundnut virus transmitted by insect bites, which stops plant growth and taints the foliage — and high yielding. Community seed systems like village seed banks have increased access to such improved seeds, reaching almost 50,000 farmers over ten years. The seed revolving fund has now scaled up further thanks to its cost-recovery and engagement of the private sector.

One key to success is building a seed trust. However, as in many African countries, seed certification is often ensured by run-down seed certification services with prohibitive certification costs for small seed growers. Under the Feed the Future Malawi Improved Seed Systems and Technologies (FtF-MISST) initiative, ICRISAT has partnered with the Seed Services Unit (SSU), Malawi’s legal body to stamp seed quality labels, to make their seed certification more cost-effective and transparent as well as enlarge their field of action. Training of 166 para seed inspectors has already eased SSU’s work. ICRISAT is currently developing a mobile application that will be deployed by the end of the year and will help plan the para inspectors’ field visits, informing them when it is best to visit farmers. This seed quality traceability app has several ways to improve transparency and trust in the seed certification process. Seeds given to seed growers for multiplication will be tagged with a unique barcode. Farmers that comply with the seed inspection checklist will receive a unique quality certificate, and mobile GPS tracking helps SSU check that seed inspectors are following the right field inspection procedure. Local seed ventures that register for the app could check that quality insurance is traced from start to end, for instance verifying that seed quantities delivered by one grower are credible and correspond to the right variety.

Once a groundnut exporter, Malawi groundnut production collapsed in the 1980s and 1990s, and average yields plummeted to around 860 kg/ha in the early 2000s. Now, Malawi is back in the global peanut marketplace, exporting once again to Europe with, for instance, the fairtrade label Liberation Foods by Malawi farmers organization NASFAM. Yields have almost doubled since 2000 to around 1,500 kg/ha. ICRISAT’s seed revolving fund has been instrumental in this groundnut revival.

Mary has no need to worry about her family’s future. Her neighboring farmers will need more groundnut seeds in the years to come, and they are ready to pay for the quality.

To learn more about ICRISAT’s seed systems work in Africa and Asia, read ICRISAT’s Seed Systems: Models and Lessons Learned.

Read the post on the Agrilinks blog.

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This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Delivering on seeds: First-ever compilation on ICRISAT’s seeds systemsICRISAT’s Seed Systems: Models and Lessons Learned explains the rationale behind ICRISAT’s work on seed systems in the drylands, different approaches taken, and their impact on the ground. Improving farmers’ access to improved seeds in the drylands is seen as a cost-effective strategy to improve farm productivity and food security. Different models of seed systems are tested and developed by ICRISAT and its development partners in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia depending on the local context. It includes small seed packets, groundnut seed revolving fund in Malawi, support to community-based systems, farmer seed organizations or local seed ventures, and public-private seed partnerships like the Hybrid Parents Research Consortium for pearl millet and sorghum in India. ICRISAT’s vision on seed systems is demand-driven, holistic and working in partnership, along the crop value chain.

OAR link: oar.icrisat.org/10195

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ICRISAT in Global News

Why groundnut is a must in one’s diet

Going against the grain

Groundnut plays a vital nutritional role in the diet of many Africans and has many health benefits. In Sokoto, Nigeria, an exhibition showcasing groundnut-based products as healthy alternatives to processed foods was held as part of the USAID-funded Groundnut Up-scaling Project in Nigeria, with partners from Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihood Project, ICRISAT and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). g

Indian and French scientists decode pearl millet genome with positive implication for food security

Research decoding the genome of the pearl millet variety Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone has shed light on the cereal’s ability to survive temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius, and could prove instrumental in improving food security for people living in semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa. The study, conducted by scientists from ICRISAT, India, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France, and BGI Shenzhen was published in Nature Biotechnology in September. g

In eastern Kenya, decreasing rainfall and failing maize harvests have farmers worried. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is working with partners like ICRISAT to convince farmers to switch to crops like sorghum, which crop researchers say are more climate resilient. g

7 October 2017 1746

Meetings and Workshops

Highlights from the Governing Board Meeting - A call for strategic investments

Innovative ways of improving the livelihoods of dryland farm families in Africa and Asia through strategic

investments in research was the theme of the Governing Board Meeting held on 25-27 September at ICRISAT-Patancheru. Issues discussed in depth included monitoring and evaluation, impact assessments and scaling up digital agriculture.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr S Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) and Member of ICRISAT’s Governing Board remarked, “India witnessed an all-time production high in pulses in 2017.” While the production increase was partly due to the expansion of land under pulses, it was boosted by the adoption of high-yielding varieties and cultivars. “ICRISAT’s efforts are much appreciated in the realms of crop research and collaboration with government bodies. Integrating breeding strategies and new areas of genomics is an important issue worldwide and for India, and we must move faster in this direction,” he emphasized. While underlining the importance of South-South collaboration between national programs and ICRISAT engaging in Africa, he said there was greater scope to work together with ICAR to fill technology gaps.

Dr Nigel Kirby, Chair of the Board, highlighted the importance of plant breeding. “It is important to relate genotypes that are in germplasm collections to phenotypes and mitigate risks to make plant breeding efficient and cost-effective, which at the end of the day should give enduring hope to smallholder farmers,” he said.

Engaging in groundbreaking crop research to increase production and productivity is an extraordinary feat but it should be done with the consumer in focus. Research should be demand driven, and in this context, Dr Mohapatra suggested ICRISAT adopt a ‘value chain’ approach. He recommended that ICRISAT take a long-term view on resource mobilization and look for support beyond 5-10 years. Dr Kirby welcomed the idea to initiate deeper deliberations on higher level resource mobilization.

A call for strategic investments to stay ahead in the gameThe Governing Board was pleased to hear the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals Agri-Food Systems is now ‘fundable’. While final approval is pending, the program is aimed at transforming underperforming agri-food systems in the drylands into well- functioning systems. Dr Peter Carberry, Deputy Director General-Research made a presentation on the proposal.

Dr Carberry also presented options to develop and fund strategic initiatives, including the issue of patenting for royalties from important ICRISAT innovations like the cytoplasmic male sterile gene in pigeonpea that could be used by the private seed sector. The Board appreciated this discussion, as scientists were asked for new ideas for Blue Sky Research or other initiatives with a focus on development.

Research Program Directors Dr Ramadjita Tabo (West and Central Africa) and Dr Moses Siambi (Eastern and Southern Africa) explained how ICRISAT’s investment of $5 million from reserves as part of the Africa Strategic Fund was used to modernize its research facilities in sub-Saharan Africa. The Board appreciated the cost-effective improvements to provide modern facilities for ICRISAT staff and partners as well as supporting strategic staff positions to position ICRISAT for success. However, skill gaps still remain based on regional needs in the drylands that will be addressed through structuring regional programs, partnerships and building national capacity. Future research needs like tackling emerging pests, digital agriculture, nutrition and latest genomics approaches should be promoted so that either through in-house or through new partnerships, ‘ICRISAT research programs stay at the forefront of science for development for the drylands’.

Board Members at the 82nd Governing Board Meeting at ICRISAT, India.

Photo: PS Rao, ICRISAT

8 October 2017 1746

Young researchers showcase innovative ideas for the drylands

Three young ICRISAT scientists had the opportunity to showcase their groundbreaking ideas and research in climate change adaptation and modernization of crop breeding programs.

Dr Dakshina Murthy Kadiyala, a systems modeling expert from the Innovation Systems for the Drylands research program explained how using location-specific rainfall data, his team created an Intelligent Sowing Advisory Tool (ISAT) piloted in the semi-arid Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with Microsoft India.

ISAT is a messaging tool for smallholder farmers to minimize climate risks and maximize yields and incomes. Farmers receive real-time, location, crop and soil-specific advisories using seasonal, medium range and two-week forecasts in their local language.

ISAT is ready for scaling up with support from the Indian Ministry of Environment, with plans to transfer this technology to Africa as well. ISAT’s work would help shape climate-smart agriculture policies as mapping of climate risk exposure will provide strategic insights into, for example, where and when a shift from cotton and maize to millets and pulses would be much more beneficial.

Full presentation on ISAT

Dr Murthy’s latest publications

Dr Pazhamala’s latest publications

Dr Lekha Pazhamala, DST research grantee, has found a way to lower the cost of pigeonpea hybrid production by reducing the need from three to two hybrid lines. This was possible by finding which environmental factor controls the production of male sterile pigeonpea hybrid lines. Using the Leasyscan’s phenotyping analysis, Dr Pazhamala identified 24˚C day temperature as the threshold between fertility and sterility of pollen.

Cytological studies expose the crucial stage of dissociation of tetrads which does not happen in sterile pollen. Transcriptome analysis showed that auxin, a phyto hormone known for its role in plant growth plays a key role as auxin production at a temperature above 24˚C cuts off sugar transport to the pollen, thereby starving it. Below 24˚C, auxin production would result in proper nutrient transport and dissociation of tetrads.

The Board applauded this promising research as a perfect example of a fruitful ICRISAT investment in Blue Sky Research that will yield much more.

Full presentation on genomics for converting 3- lines to 2- lines

Dr Samineni’s latest publications

Dr Srinivasan Samineni, chickpea breeder in the Asia program, explained a breeding strategy to develop early-maturing chickpea that can escape terminal drought. This is important because the pulse is often grown on residual soil moisture, for instance in rice fallows, way after rice harvest. Flowering time was reduced from 60 to 20-28 days as genomic regions controlling early flowering were mapped. Multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) populations were screened for different traits including height, yield, and harvest index or seed size from 1,200 lines to 4 promising lines, which will be shared with ICRISAT’s national research partners.

This result can be strategically exploited given the high demand for chickpea. Dr Samineni talked about the machine harvestable chickpea variety released in 2016 which has high demand by farmers due to increased profitability.

Full presentation on accelerated chickpea breeding

9 October 2017 1746

Impact assessment

Given that the process link between evidence and decision making is crucial for research organizations, findings from three ex-post impact assessment studies conducted in 2017 were presented by Kizito Mazvimavi, Country Representative - Zimbabwe.

The UK Aid-funded impact study on the role of conservation agriculture in building drought resilience in Southern Africa and impacts from the Hybrid Parents Research Consortium on pearl millet in India were also mentioned.

From November, under the Tropical Legumes III project, ICRISAT will use DNA tracers to assess the adoption rate of improved chickpea varieties in Ethiopia.

Kizito Mazvimavi stressed that ICRISAT needs official peer-reviewed publications to maintain credibility. To ensure unbiased impact assessments, studies must be done by external consultants, usually 4-5 years after a project is completed. ICRISAT is committed to ensuring such studies are funded and done thoroughly. Dr Wendy Umberger, Director - Global Food Studies said, “ICRISAT has to allocate a side-budget for these impact studies. The Board needs to see what is the ICRISAT process; we cannot step away from it and it should be considered a strategic investment.”

Cloud, mobile and big data based system to improve monitoring & evaluation of development projects.

Digital agriculture

Three promising case studies on how digital agriculture is transforming the drylands were discussed. Ram Kiran Dhulipala, Head - Digital Agriculture and Youth, presented ihub incubatees – Kalgudi (from Vasudhaika), the “LinkedIn” for agricultural communities; Khethinext (from PALS Global) helping farmers better access finance, markets, inputs and knowledge through an e-commerce network; and Plantix, a plant pest identification mobile App that provides highly accurate solutions to plant diseases and pests and the nearest agro-shops selling appropriate inputs to treat pests and disease.

The importance of real-time monitoring and evaluation in assessing project results was highlighted in a presentation on ‘Modernizing M&E – Measuring for Big Impacts’, by Satish Nagaraji, Manager- Digital Agriculture (M&E and Tools).

The Digital Agriculture team of ICRISAT, in partnership with ihub incubates, has designed and developed modern ICT-based monitoring and evaluation tools to collect quality data with real-time tracking, actionable insights for course correction and implementation. These systems use Android-based smartphone applications to capture and transmit crucial data, photographs and geotags. A web-based multi-layered dashboard will share evidence-based impacts among various stakeholders, including donors.

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Field visits

The Board took the opportunity to visit ICRISAT’s fields and see how the institute is modernizing its plant breeding programs. Some observations from our Board members:

“ICRISAT’s digitization and modernization of breeding programs is impressive and can have high impact in all regions. This is why it is crucial to have an assessment of the breeding programs as a way of continuously improving it.”

“The quality of land, the way it’s being managed and the high quality of trials are commendable. Science is about quality and what we saw was quality, which helps harness our capability in plant breeding. Smallholder farmers hope for a better life and I believe that’s possible by introducing better varieties and science can play a major role in building that hope.”

Dr Nigel Kirby Chair, ICRISAT Governing Board

Dr Rachel Chikwamba Member, ICRISAT Governing Board

Smart Food Endowment Fund

The Governing Board approved the establishment of a Smart Food Endowment Fund. This will escalate ICRISAT’s Smart Food initiative to a higher level after it gained significant global traction and support. This initiative has been selected by LAUNCH Food as one of the winning innovations for 2017.

Setting up the Endowment Fund is dependent on a business plan being developed and strategic partners will be sought to lead this initiative globally.

The Board celebrates the successful decoding of the pearl millet genome

The analysis of genetic variability among a thousand pearl millet lines has led to a better understanding of the ability of this dryland cereal to survive soaring temperatures (over 42oC) and its exceptional drought tolerance. This path breaking research was co-led by ICRISAT, BGI-Shenzhen, China and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD).

Photo: PS Rao, ICRISAT

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Modernizing ICRISAT’s crop improvement and breeding programs – Field visit photo essay

Scaling up – How do we ensure innovations benefit farming communities – Rachel Chikwamba

Hope for smallholder farmers – A word from ICRISAT’s Board Chair Nigel Kirby

12 October 2017 1746

Director, USAID-India Food Security Office, launches ‘tablet-based’ nutritional assessment survey in Bangladesh

Project: Promoting Peanut Based Food Supplements through Partnerships to Treat Malnutrition in BangladeshFunder: USAID through IKPProject partners: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), PRAN Agro Industries (PRAN)- Dhaka, Christy Friedgram Industries (CFI)-Tamil Nadu, ICRISAT and local NGOs based in Bangladesh.Project Team: Janila P, Saikat Datta Mazumdar, Padmaja R, Roopa Banerjee (ICRISAT), Manjurul Kadir (BARI), Mahatabuddin (PRAN) and Elumalai (CFI)

A three-day training workshop on implementing socio-economic

and nutritional assessment surveys jointly organized by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and ICRISAT from 19 to 22 September 2017, was held at the Regional Agriculture Research Station, BARI, Jamalpur, in Bangladesh. The workshop is part of the first phase of pilot studies of the ongoing United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Innovation Knowledge Progress (IKP) Knowledge Park-funded project on 'Promoting peanut based supplementation through partnerships to treat malnutrition in Bangladesh.'

Mr Mustapha El Hamzaoui, Director, Food Security Office of USAID-India, who was on a visit to ICRISAT to review the project’s progress together with Mr Vamsidhar Reddy, project management specialist, attended the workshop remotely along with principal investigators from ICRISAT, Dr P Janila and Dr Saikat Datta Mazumdar.

The workshop involved 10 enumerators (6 men and 4 women) who were trained on how to take the informed consent of survey participants, how to use tablet-based surveys and capture digital data. The enumerators will begin the work of recording their observations in a tablet using a digital questionnaire at the two sites of Islampur (Jamalpur district) and Lalmonirhat (Lalmonirhat district). They will also record anthropometric data on height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements and hemoglobin levels using a non-invasive device called the 'Pulse CO-Oxymeter'.

The tablet-based surveys are part of a 6 month pilot study on using peanut based food supplements for nutritional interventions among school children at the two locations. Using a structured baseline and endline study, they are designed to include data on the socio-economic status of beneficiaries' households in addition to dietary diversity at the household level. The baseline surveys, which will be completed in October 2017 in both locations, will cover 500 primary school children (between 5-10 years of age) and their respective households.

During his visit to ICRISAT, Mr Hamzaoui also saw the latest research on groundnut breeding being conducted by ICRISAT’s Crop Improvement theme and Center for Excellence in Genomics. Presented with prototypes of groundnut-based food supplements developed by the NutriPlus Knowledge Program at the Agri-business and Innovation Platform, ICRISAT, he noted that private sector partnerships were a key strategy for up-scaling development efforts, and were essential for the success of

the project. The food supplements demonstrated included groundnut bars (30% peanut) that provides approximately 429 kcal of energy/100 g; nutri-cookies (26% peanut) with about 445.08 kcal of energy/100 g and a groundnut spread (36% peanut) with approximately 495.3 kcal of energy/100 g.

The groundnut bar and nutri-cookies were shortlisted for use in the pilot study based on an acceptability study conducted among the school children in Belgasha Government Primary School, Jamalpur district, Bangladesh.

As the project involves technology transfer to PRAN Agro industries (PRAN) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, for local production and the supply of food supplements, Dr Mazumdar and Dr Manjurul (BARI) visited the PRAN facility in Habiganj Industrial Park, Bangladesh, and discussed the modalities of technology transfer, and production and supply of the peanut-based food supplements. The supply will begin following the completion of the baseline survey. g

Enumerators record anthropometric data for the first phase of the baseline survey in Belgasa Miapara, Jamalpur district, Bangladesh.

This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Photo: ICRISAT

13 October 2017 1746

Pearl millet farmers at a participatory varietal selection in Nigeria.

Photo: Jerome Jonah, ICRISAT

Farmers give valuable feedback on preference for food quality traits during millet participatory selection exercise in Nigeria

“We prefer those millet varieties that, when cooked, can be stored overnight without losing color and taste and

that can be served as breakfast the following morning,” states Delu Shugaba, a farmer from Minjibir in Kano State of Nigeria, on traits he prefers in pearl millet. Delu is part of a group of 60 farmers (20 men and 40 women) who took part in a farmer participatory millet variety and traits selection exercise in Minjibir on 13 September 2017. The selection involved a pair-wise ranking of pearl millet traits to determine which farmers most preferred as a criterion for effective selection. Independent of each other, men and women’s groups listed 8 and 10 most important traits, respectively.

The result of pair-wise ranking for men farmers (Table 1) showed that drought tolerance, food quality and disease resistance (downy mildew) have equal status in their list of preferences, followed by early maturity and grain yield. Among women (Table 2), food quality, drought tolerance, disease resistance, early maturity and grain yield were ranked 1-5. Both genders ranked early maturity and grain yield in the fourth and fifth places, respectively.

A parallel discussion with the participants on why food quality and production constraints (drought and disease) are important reveals their preference for varieties that can recover from mid-season drought spells commonly experienced in July. The rainfall pattern in this area has been erratic, with mid-season drought, early season and disease pressure on pearl millet.

The exercise suggested that in addition to yields that have traditionally dominated policy discussions, crop breeders should incorporate food quality, taste and traditional knowledge in their breeding programs in order to facilitate adoption and fast-track commercialization of released varieties.

Participants also assisted in the participatory selection of 30 varieties in a regional trial. Their contributions will help in the evaluation of varieties, as well as influence selection of traits in millet breeding programs in the future. g

Table 1: Pair-wise ranking by male farmers of farmer-preferred pearl millet traits during the 2017 cropping season at Minjibir, Kano State, Nigeria.

Traits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Scores Ranking

Grain yield x 2 3 4 5 6 1 1 2 5

Long stalk x 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 7

Early maturing x 4 5 6 3 3 4 4

Drought tolerant x 5 4 4 4 6 1

Food quality x 6 5 5 6 1

Disease resistant x 6 6 6 1

Long panicle x 8 1 7

Compactness x 2 5

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Table 2: Pair-wise ranking by women farmers of farmer-preferred pearl millet traits during the 2017 cropping season at Minjibir, Kano State, Nigeria.

Traits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Scores Ranking

Boldness x 2 3 4 1 6 7 8 9 10 1 9

Grain yield x 2 2 2 2 7 8 9 10 5 5

Compactness x 3 3 3 7 8 9 10 4 6

Long panicle x 4 6 7 8 9 10 2 8

Stalk quality x 6 7 8 9 10 0 10

Grain color x 7 8 9 10 3 7

Early maturing x 8 9 10 6 4

Disease tolerant x 9 10 7 3

Drought tolerant x 10 8 2

Food quality x 9 1

Project: Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement Phase II (HOPE II)Partners: Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria; Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS Sokoto); Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Maiduguri; Seeds companies (Premier Seeds Ng Ltd, Techni Seeds Nig Ltd, and Masalaha Seeds Nig Ltd ) Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

15 October 2017 1746

Workshop on strategies for promotion of biofortified crops for better nutrition outcomes

A one-day workshop on ‘Marketing strategies for biofortified crops’ was organized at ICRISAT by project

partner HarvestPlus India on 15 September 2017 to promote the adoption of nutrition-rich pearl millet cultivars by farmers in India. Participants, including representatives of eight seed companies, shared experiences from the field and discussed strategies for scaling up demand for biofortified crops.

Mr Binu Cherian, Country Manager, HarvestPlus, shared the status of global biofortification efforts, underlining the progress made in crop development, nutrition research, and delivery efforts. He highlighted HarvestPlus’ commitment to enhance efforts to develop biofortified cultivars of several important crops with the aim of reaching 1 billion malnourished people in Asia and Africa by 2030. He underlined the need for the private and public sectors to proactively partner to support the development of proven technologies to farmers.

Dr M Govindaraj, Senior Scientist, pearl millet breeding, ICRISAT, in his presentation on the performance of biofortified pearl millet cultivars and the latest National Family health survey data, ascribed the prevalence of anemia and stunting to declining per capita consumption of millet (<4 kg) and increased consumption of processed fine cereals and junk foods. He also presented evidence to prove no negative linkage between grain yields and biofortification.

Stakeholders also discussed the positive outcome of the national cultivar release policy on product development, which, for the first time, includes parameters for minimum levels of micronutrients in staple crops. Further, they stressed the need to work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, for the promotion of biofortified crops through seed markets and to incentivize biofortified grains with premium prices

during the initial years in order to encourage farmers and seed companies to invest in product development.

Partners also requested that ICRISAT provide them with data on the yield potential of seed parents for quick delivery of pipeline hybrids and asked scientists to share superior high-iron hybrids and parental lines in advance for test marketing. They visited biofortified pearl millet demonstration fields and selected advanced hybrids for up scaling in 2018.

The meeting concluded with discussions on product test marketing and creating consumer demand. There is also a need to work with diverse partners for policy support and to leverage existing value chains to develop sustainable markets for biofortified crops. g

Participants at the workshop select advanced pearl millet hybrids for upscaling in 2018.

ICRISAT works with HarvestPlus to ensure iron rich pearl millet boosts nutrition in Indian farming communities.

Photo: ICRISAT

This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

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This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Expanding the groundnut seed business in Tanzania

Participants in a group task to define key motivations for seed companies.

Involving seed companies in groundnut seed production and marketing which is crucial to enhance the groundnut

value chain is the key focus of the Tropical Legumes III project in Tanzania. With this in mind, a meeting was organized on 7-8 September 2017 with stakeholders to discuss key steps to be taken to expand the groundnut seed business to facilitate collaborations for improved seeds.

The 22 participants present were drawn from private seed companies (Beula Seed. Co, Suba-Agro, Temnar Co. Ltd, MERU AGRO), the public Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA), NGOs (Care International, One Acre Fund), Africa Rising, Agricultural Research Institute (ARI)-Naliendele, ICRISAT Nairobi and Malawi, The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Arusha, and the TL III groundnut focal point in Uganda. The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the collaboration between ARI-Naliendele and ASA and reach new agreements for improved seed production for the 2017-2018 season.

The seed companies committed to participate in awareness and demand creation activities, and expressed interest in small bulking of the new varieties promoted under TL III. Dr Esther Njuguna, Scientist, Gender Research, ICRISAT, spoke of gender expectations from the project and on interventions that would help close the gender inequality in seed production and ensure greater participation of women in the decision-making process. g

Project: Tropical Legumes IIIPartners: ICRISAT (lead), CIAT and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Agricultural Research Institute (ARI-Naliendele), Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA), Care International, One Acre Fund, Africa Rising, Beula Seed. Co, Suba-Agro, Temnar Co. Ltd, MERU AGRO and ICRISAT Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Photo: Akpo E

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Risks from inappropriate use of agro-chemicals in northern Nigeria

Project: Increasing Groundnut Productivity of Smallholder Farmers in Ghana, Mali and NigeriaFunder: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Partners: Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Nigeria; Nigerian Agricultural Seed Council (NASC); Centre for Dryland Agriculture of the Bayero University of Kano (CDA/BUK); Federal University of Agriculture- Makurdi (FUAM); Green Sahel Agricultural and Rural Development Initiative (GSARDI); Catholic Relief Services (CRS); Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) and the Agricultural and Rural Development Authorities of Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa and Katsina, Nigeria, and ICRISAT.

Agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) are widely used in northern Nigeria to enhance groundnut production

and productivity, right from storage to marketing and distribution of grain, and in seed dressing before planting. Using eco-friendly options such as groundnut haulms to enhance soil fertility are limited as these are used for livestock feed, especially in the dry season between February and June. Further, using droppings from large ruminants encourages rapid growth of weeds and other pests, adding to labor inputs required for farming.

As part of the USAID-funded project on ‘Increasing groundnut productivity of smallholder farmers in Ghana, Mali and Nigeria’, a training workshop was conducted for extension agents and field assistants to create awareness on the detrimental effects of using pesticides and fertilizers. The aim was to provide them the basic skills and knowledge to advise farmers on steps to take to minimize the negative impacts of such use on the environment, natural ecosystems and human health. The workshop brought together 91 extension agents (including 8 women), with 64 of them from project implementation partners of the Agricultural Development Programs, 6 from private seed companies and 21 from partner institutions. Most sessions were conducted in the Hausa language by resource persons from ICRISAT Nigeria.

An introductory session on the potential of groundnut nitrogen fixation turned into a discussion for sharing experiences on the soil amendment potential of the crop. Participants were made aware of the health hazards of the inappropriate use of these pesticides, which range from mild (nausea, poisoning, etc.) to fatal; pesticides can prove

extremely harmful to women and children who are increasingly involved in many farm activities that bring them into contact with the chemicals. Participants also recognized that indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers can harm beneficial soil micro-organisms leading to reduced nutrient concentration in the soil, weaken root systems of crops, and increase water and wind erosion.

The workshop also delved into specific aspects of groundnut-based technologies, from production and storage to distribution of quality seeds and emerging trends and challenges of producing groundnut in the dry season. g

This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Photo: ICRISAT

Women and children involved in farm activities in the groundnut chain.

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This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Project: ATASP-1 Sorghum Outreach ProgramFunder: Federal Government of Nigeria through African Development BankPartners: IITA (lead) (cassava), Africa Rice (rice), ICRISAT (sorghum), National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in Nigeria, women and youth groups and the private sector.

Fabricators of small and medium agricultural equipment in sorghum value chains trained

As part of ICRISAT’s effort to enhance the capacity of various actors along the sorghum value chain and

enhance the capacity of small- and medium-scale agricultural equipment fabricators in Nigeria, a 5-day training workshop was organized recently by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM).

As part of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase One (ATASP-1), 34 beneficiaries were selected from agro-machinery fabricators across 6 selected states: Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Niger and Yobe.

Participants were trained in workshop safety, maintenance/repairs of agro-processing machines, identification and fabrication of critical parts of planting operation machine (planters), identification and fabrication of critical parts of post-harvest processing equipment (milling/winnowing machines) and safe storage of agricultural produce.

Glad to be part of the training, Okereke Chukwumarije, a fabricator from Agaie LGA Niger State said, “This training has opened our eyes to the intricacies and techniques of selecting materials for fabrication of critical components of processing machines and planters”. Dr M Y Kasali, Executive Director, NCAM, stressed on the need for partnerships to create linkages across agricultural value chains to ensure development goals. g

Participants being trained in using and testing a fabricated hand pushed planter.

Photos: Aliyu Adinoyi, ICRISAT

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New publicationsAdapting Nyando smallholder farming systems to climate change and variability through modeling

Authors: Tobias OR, Gachene CKK and Lieven C

Published: 2017, African Journal of Agricultural Research, 12 (26). pp. 2178-2187. ISSN 1991-637X

Abstract: This study was conducted in Nyando, Kenya to model maize production under different climate scenarios and project yields up to years 2030 and 2050 using Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) under rain fed conditions. Three maize varieties were used; Katumani Comp B as early maturing variety, Hybrid 511 as a medium maturing variety and Hybrid 614 as a late maturing variety. Global coupled model Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2 (HadGEM2-ES) under representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 was used to downscale Nyando’s climate data for the years 2030 and 2050. Past climate data for 53 years and current data was obtained from Kisumu Meteorological station while crop growth and farm management data was obtained from 70 farmers in Nyando. Results showed a decrease in yields across the years from 2015, 2030 and 2050 under both RCP 4.5 and 8.5. Average simulated yields for 2015 were 2519 kg ha-1 while projected yields under RCP 4.5 were 2212 and 2081 kg ha-1 in 2030 and 2050 respectively. Average yield projections under RCP 8.5 were 2184 and 1806 kg ha-1 for the years 2030 and 2050 consecutively. The study found that temperatures will increase and rainfall duration will reduce. Further, Katumani Comp B maize variety was not very affected by these changes in temperatures and rainfall compared to H511 and H614.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10089/

Assessment of yield losses in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) due to arthropod pests and diseases in the Sudan Savanna of Ghana

Authors: Tanzubil PB and Yahaya BS

Published: 2017, Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5 (2). pp. 1561-1564. ISSN 2349-6800

Abstract: The present study was undertaken to assess the relative abundance and extent of damage caused by the various pests and diseases attacking groundnut in the Sudan savanna zone of the country during the 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons. Selective applications of fungicides and insecticides were deployed in field experiments to assess the damage caused by the key members of the groundnut pest/disease complex namely the soil pests, foliar insects, and foliar diseases. Results showed that most treatments significantly reduced the incidence of the targeted pests and diseases, resulting in lower crop damage and higher yields. Providing full protection to the crop (T6) gave the highest mean kernel yield (mean 930 kg/ha) followed by control of soil pests (T1) and leaf spots (T4) which recorded yields 677 and 640 kg/ha respectively.

Totally neglecting pest and disease control (T7) resulted in 57.3% yield reduction, while controlling soil pests (T1), foliar diseases (T4) and foliar insects (T5) reduced yield losses to 27%, 32% and 37% respectively suggesting that these are key pests that need to be controlled to guarantee profitable and sustainable groundnut production in the study area.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10091/

Inbreeding effects on grain iron and zinc concentrations in pearl millet

Authors: Rai KN, Govindaraj M, Kanatti A, Rao AS and Shivade H

Published: 2017, Crop Science, 57. pp. 1-8. ISSN 0011-183X

Abstract: The magnitude, direction, and pattern of inbreeding effects on trait expression in selfing generations have a direct bearing on single-plant and progeny-based selection efficiency. In the present study on a pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] biofortification initiative, initial random mated S0 bulks of three diverse composites and their S1 to S4 population bulks derived from four generations of selfing were evaluated for 2 yr under irrigated and terminal drought stress for iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations. Both Fe and Zn concentrations were higher under terminal drought than under irrigated condition. Inbreeding had no significant effect on Fe and Zn concentrations in one composite and showed significant though marginal increase of both micronutrients in two composites. This finding, not unexpected, was in conformity with the earlier reports of predominantly additive gene effects and marginal partial dominance of genes determining low concentrations of these micronutrients observed in a low frequency of hybrids. The patterns of genetic changes in Fe concentration due to inbreeding were highly significantly and positively correlated with those in Zn concentration in all three composites. These results indicate that simultaneous single-plant and progeny-based early generation selection for Fe and Zn concentrations is likely to be effective to enhance the breeding efficiency for these micronutrients in pearl millet.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10094/

Genome-wide discovery of microsatellite markers from diploid progenitor species, Arachis duranensis and A. ipaensis, and their application in cultivated peanut (A. hypogaea)

Authors: Zhao C, Qiu J, Agarwal G, Wang J, Ren X, Xia H, Guo B, Ma C, Wan S, Bertioli DJ, Varshney RK, Pandey MK and Wang X

Published: 2017, Frontiers in Plant Science, 8 (1209). pp. 1-12. ISSN 1664-462X

Abstract: Despite several efforts in the last decade toward development of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in peanut, there is still a need for more markers for conducting different genetic and breeding studies. With the effort of the International Peanut Genome Initiative,

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the availability of reference genome for both the diploid progenitors of cultivated peanut allowed us to identify 135,529 and 199,957 SSRs from the A (Arachis duranensis) and B genomes (Arachis ipaensis), respectively. Genome sequence analysis showed uneven distribution of the SSR motifs across genomes with variation in parameters such as SSR type, repeat number, and SSR length. Using the flanking sequences of identified SSRs, primers were designed for 51,354 and 60,893 SSRs with densities of 49 and 45 SSRs per Mb in A. duranensis and A. ipaensis, respectively. In silico PCR analysis of these SSR markers showed high transferability between wild and cultivated Arachis species. Two physical maps were developed for the A and B genomes using these SSR markers, and two reported disease resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs), qF2TSWV5 for tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and qF2LS6 for leaf spot (LS), were mapped in the 8.135 Mb region of chromosome A04 of A. duranensis. From this genomic region, 719 novel SSR markers were developed, which provide the possibility for fine mapping of these QTLs. In addition, this region also harbors 652 genes and 49 of these are defence related genes, including two NB-ARC genes, three LRR receptor-like genes and three WRKY transcription factors. These disease-resistance related genes could contribute to resistance to viral (such as TSWV) and fungal (such as LS) diseases in peanut. In summary, this study not only provides a large number of molecular markers for potential use in peanut genetic map development and QTL mapping but also for map-based gene cloning and molecular breeding.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10095/

Limited-transpiration response to high vapor pressure deficit in crop species

Authors: Sinclair TR, Devi J, Shekoofa A, Choudhary S, Sadok W, Vadez V, Riar M and Rufty T

Published: 2017, Plant Science, 260. pp. 109-118. ISSN 01689452

Abstract: Water deficit under nearly all field conditions is the major constraint on plant yields. Other than empirical observations, very little progress has been made in developing crop plants in which specific physiological traits for drought are expressed. As a consequence, there was little known about under what conditions and to what extent drought impacts crop yield. However, there has been rapid progress in recent years in understanding and developing a limited-transpiration trait under elevated atmospheric vapour pressure deficit to increase plant growth and yield under water-deficit conditions. This review paper examines the physiological basis for the limited-transpiration trait as result of low plant hydraulic conductivity, which appears to be related to aquaporin activity. Methodology was developed based on aquaporin involvement to identify candidate genotypes for drought tolerance of several major crop species. Cultivars of maize and soybean are now being marketed specifically for arid conditions. Understanding the mechanism of the limited-transpiration trait has allowed geospatial analyses to define the environments in which increased yield

responses can be expected. This review highlights the challenges and approaches to finally develop physiological traits contributing directly to plant improvement for water-limited environments.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10096/

A sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) mutant with altered carbon isotope ratio

Authors: Candela H, Rizal G, Karki S, Thakur V, Wanchana S, Alonso-Cantabrana H, Dionora J, Sheehy JE, Furbank R, von Caemmerer S and Quick WP

Published: 2017, PLoS ONE, 12 (6). pp. 1-19. ISSN 1932-6203

Abstract: Recent efforts to engineer C4 photosynthetic traits into C3 plants such as rice demand an understanding of the genetic elements that enable C4 plants to outperform C3 plants. As a part of the C4 Rice Consortium’s efforts to identify genes needed to support C4 photosynthesis, EMS mutagenized sorghum populations were generated and screened to identify genes that cause a loss of C4 function. Stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of leaf dry matter has been used to distinguish species with C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways. Here, we report the identification of a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) mutant with a low δ13C characteristic. A mutant (named Mut33) with a pale phenotype and stunted growth was identified from an EMS treated sorghum M2 population. The stable carbon isotope analysis of the mutants showed a decrease of 13C uptake capacity. The noise of random mutation was reduced by crossing the mutant and its wildtype (WT). The back-cross (BC1F1) progenies were like the WT parent in terms of 13C values and plant phenotypes. All the BC1F2 plants with low δ13C died before they produced their 6th leaf. Gas exchange measurements of the low δ13C sorghum mutants showed a higher CO2 compensation point (25.24 μmol CO2.mol-1air) and the maximum rate of photosynthesis was less than 5μmol.m-2.s-1. To identify the genetic determinant of this trait, four DNA pools were isolated; two each from normal and low δ13C BC1F2 mutant plants. These were sequenced using an Illumina platform. Comparison of allele frequency of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the pools with contrasting phenotype showed that a locus in Chromosome 10 between 57,941,104 and 59,985,708 bps had an allele frequency of 1. There were 211 mutations and 37 genes in the locus, out of which mutations in 9 genes showed non-synonymous changes. This finding is expected to contribute to future research on the identification of the causal factor differentiating C4 from C3 species that can be used in the transformation of C3 to C4 plants.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10097/

Relationships between soil seed banks and above-ground vegetation along a disturbance gradient in the W National Park trans-boundary biosphere reserve, West Africa

Authors: Savadogo P, Sanou L, Dayamba SD, Bognounou F and Thiombiano A

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Published: 2017, Journal of Plant Ecology, 10 (2). pp. 349-363. ISSN 1752-9921

Abstract: Vegetation succession depends on the availability of suitable propagules in the soils, thus knowledge of soil seed banks is essential for formulating effective strategies for restoring the vegetation of degraded sites. The W National Park, the only trans-boundary biosphere reserve in West Africa, is being extensively fragmented and degraded in recent decades. The aims of this study were to assess the reserve’s soil seed banks, their relationships with standing vegetation and bundle of disturbances and their potential significance for vegetation restoration.

The size and composition of the above-ground species vegetation were assessed in nine plots of 1 ha each representing a range of habitats with differing disturbance severity (low, intermediate and high). A total of 702 soil samples were taken from three layers (0–3, 3–6 and 6–9cm) and soil seed bank was analyzed using the seedling emergence technique.

Generally, seeds of non-woody taxa dominated in samples from all soil depths and habitats of all disturbance severities. The mean soil seed density was 17.8, 24.4 and 26.3 seeds/dm3 in samples from the least, intermediate and most disturbed sites, respectively, and highest in the upper soil layers in all cases. The results indicate that there is limited potential for restoring woody vegetation solely from soil seed banks, and that woody species in the region rely more on recently shed seeds trapped in the standing dead biomass and litter on the ground than soil seed banks for regeneration. Thus, human intervention is needed to accelerate forest recovery, mainly through alleviating anthropogenic impacts on the ecosystem (for instance, avoiding destruction of new seeds by intense fire), and site manipulation to improve environmental conditions for seedling establishment and growth. Other ways of restoring forests than through the soil seed bank (e.g. sowing seeds collected elsewhere, and planting tree seedlings) could also be relevant.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10098/

Protease inhibitors of Cajanus conferring resistance to pod borer of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp).

Authors: Srikanth S, Swathi M, Kollipara P, Rao MV and Mallikarjuna N

Published: 2017, Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding, 8 (1). pp. 26-37. ISSN 0975-928X

Abstract: Pigeonpea is susceptible to pod borer damage with resistance lacking in its primary gene pool. Many Cajanus species harbor high levels of resistance. Host plant resistance can play an important role in minimizing the extent of losses due to insects and pests as well as the use of insecticides/pesticides and thus protect the environment. A major initiative was undertaken to tap the defence genes from wild relatives of secondary and tertiary gene pool through wide hybridization and thereby introgress resistance to pod borer. A range of interspecific derivatives derived from C. lanceolatus, C. cajanifolius, C.

volubilis and C. platycarpus along with their parents were screened for the pod borer resistance under unprotected field conditions at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India. Biochemical basis of resistance was also identified by studying the levels of defence proteins active against bovine pancreatic trypsin, chymotrypsin and trypsin-like enzymes of H. armigera mid-gut proteases. Protease inhibitor profiles of parents and interspecific derivatives differed in terms of activity units, number and intensities of activity bands visualized on gelatin-PAGE. As the protease inhibitors are anti-nutritional factors, parents and interspecific derivatives, which resulted in high levels of Helicoverpa gut protease inhibitor (HGPI) units were screened for Human pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (HPTI) activity levels. Samples with high ratio of HGPI/HPTI represent less or no effect on human pancreatic trypsin and high effect on insect gut proteases.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10099/

Induced systemic resistance and evaluation of bio-control agents for management of pigeonpea wilt caused by Fusarium udum

Authors: Ravikumara BM, Naik MK, Sharma M, Sunkad G, Patil AG, Muniswamy S and Viswanath KP

Published: 2017, Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 11 (1). pp. 291-305. ISSN 0973-7510

Abstract: The performance of the four fungal and two bacterial bioagents were evaluated for the bicontrol efficacy and ability to induce systemic resistance against Fusarium udum causing wilt of pigeonpea which is posing a serious threat to pigeonpea growing regions of India. Among the six isolates, maximum mycelial inhibition was noticed in Trichoderma harzianum (Th- R) as compared to other biocontrol agents. Among contact fungicides, maximum inhibition (>75 %) of mycelium was recorded in Mancozeb and capton at 0.20 and 0.3 % concentrations. More than 90% inhibition was recorded among the systemic fungicides at all the all the concentrations except thiophanate methyl which recorded 53.67 % inhibition at 0.05 % concentration. Among different treatment combinations of biocontrol agents, the highest vigour index was recorded in P. fluorescense (RP- 46) + P. putida (RP- 56) treated seeds in both the cultivars (Moderately resistant and susceptible). The level of expression of defense related enzymes (PO, PPO & PAL) was more in moderately resistant cultivar(BSMR- 736) rather than susceptible one(ICP- 2376). In glass house experiment seeds treated with P. flourescens (RP- 46) + P. putida (RP-56) recorded least wilt incidence as compared to other treatments. In both Kharif seasons of 2013/14 and 2014/15 recorded significantly lowest wilt incidence and highest yield in soil drenching with 0.2 % Carbendazim fungicide. Among the biocontrol agents, seed treatment @4 g / kg seeds + soil application of PGPR (P. flourescens & P. putida) consortium @ 25kg/ ha in FYM @ 50 kg/ ha, recorded least wilt incidence and highest yield.

http://oar.icrisat.org/10102/

ICRA announces courses on agricultural education and outreachInternational Centre for development oriented Research in Agriculture (ICRA) has announced three new courses on agricultural education and outreach, research and agribusiness for the period of March - June 2018. The courses are for professionals in agricultural value chains and for educators working with smallholder farmers. Find more information on all their upcoming courses here.

Announcement

Contributions for the 3d newsletterAll staff are requested to send their contributions for ICRISAT’s newsletter, now renamed 3d, to 3dnewsletter@cgiar.org. Please note that the older email id for Happenings, icrisathaps@cgiar.org will be discontinued.

Connect with us: ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR System OrganizationAbout ICRISAT: www.icrisat.orgICRISAT’s scientific information: EXPLOREit.icrisat.org

Dr Jagdish Jaba, Scientist-Entymology, ICRISAT, was awarded a Special Mention Certificate in the Young Scientist category at the EET CRS 5th Academic Achievements Awards (2017). The award ceremony was organized by Education Expo TV on 10 September 2017 in Mumbai.

ICRISAT scientist was awarded a Special Mention Certificate

Photo: ICRISAT

Newsfeed2017 Global food security index launched

NITI Aayog calls renewed focus on Nutrition, launches the National Nutrition Strategy

Win-win strategies for climate and food security

Earliest Evidence of Domesticated Sorghum Discovered

Forgotten crop strains can rescue drought-stricken economies

IITA develops ‘Aflasafe’ to preserve maize, groundnut

Is climate change making our food less nutritious?

African smallholders need help to boost food security

Supermarkets are creating an obesity crisis in African countries, experts warn

New mobile app diagnoses crop diseases in the field and alerts rural farmers

Six million Nigerian under-five children stunted due to malnutrition – UNICEF

Mali smallholder farmers see benefits of smart climate agriculture technologies

Government provides Rs 12,000 crore more to fight malnutrition

Increase the area of millet cultivation, say experts

‘Striking’ rate of food insecurity found in Indigenous communities, study suggests

Dr Jaba at the EET CRS 5th Academic Achievements Awards.