Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly lack of vitamin A, iron and iodine, affect mainly women and children and contribute to some of the highest rates of child mortality in the world. Pearl millet grain is rich in Fe and Zn micronutrients compare to all other cereals. It comprises more that 60% of the dietary food of the west African population. Improving the pearl millet with increased Fe nd Zn density in grains through bio fortification will help to contribute in reduction of malnutrition problems associated these micro nutrient induced deficiencies in children below 5 years and pregnant women's to overcome iron induced anaemia.

1. • Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly lack of vitamin A, iron and
iodine, affect mainly women and children and contribute to some of
the highest rates of child mortality in the world.
• Pearl millet grain is rich in Fe and Zn micronutrients compare to all
other cereals. It comprises more that 60% of the dietary food of the
west African population. Improving the pearl millet with increased Fe
and Zn density in grains through bio fortification will help to contribute
in reduction of malnutrition problems associated these micro nutrient
induced deficiencies in children below 5 years and pregnant women's
to overcome iron induced anaemia.
• IntroduCtIon
• Evaluation of previously identified high Fe popular OPVs of pearl millet
in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Ghana for fast commerciali-
zation of high Fe OPVs.
• Population improvement approaches for improving Fe density in locally
adopted pearl millet OPVs and hybrid parents.
• Developing hybrid parents with increased density of Fe /Zn in A, B and
R lines.
• Revalidation of previously identified high Fe germplasm accessions for
bringing the new genetic diversity into current breeding programs.
• objeCtIveS
• Pearl millet OPVs with > 40 ppm of Fe are selected to constitute the
multi location yield testing trial in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal
and Ghana in RS 2015.
• Total of 16 entries in 16 locations were tested in RS 2015 in Randomised
block design with 4 replications with two checks (Improved OPV check
and Local OPV check ).
• Representative soil sample was collected from each of the trial loca-
tions before sowing to know the soil available Fe and Zn.
• Open pollinated grain sample from each of the test OPV entry with
completely grain filled heads were chosen for grain Fe and Zn analysis
in ED-XRF at ISC.
• metHodology
• The average ED-XRF Fe density across 11 locations ranging from 35
(SOSAT –C88 to 52 ppm ((GB 8735 & ICTP 8203) and Zn density varied
from 29 ppm (SOSAT-C88) to 44 ppm (GB 8735 & ICTP 8203).
• The superior genotype performance across the locations for high Fe
and Zn density combine with better grain yield is Jira Ni (LCICMV-4)
with Fe and Zn density of 46 and 43 ppm combined with grain yield of
1115 g/plot respectively followed by GB 8735 and ICTP 8203.
• ICTP 8203, GB 8735 and Jira Ni has got relatively high Fe in all locations.
• reSultS and ConCluSIonS
• Current and PartnerSHIS future
engagementS for out SCalIng
• Release proposal for ICTP 8203 in Niger, Senegal and Ghana in partner-
ship with NARS.
• Large scale seed production of high Fe OPVs of pearl millet such as ICTP
8203, GB 8735 and LCICMV 4 (Jira NI) in CS 2015-16.
• Large scale demonstration of high Fe OPVs in farmer field conditions at
Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Ghana.
• High Fe OPV and hybrid trial in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Ghana,
Senegal, Chad, Benin and Togo.
Genetic improvement of pearl millet for improved human nutrition in West and Central Africa
Gangashetty, Prakash1*
, Govindaraj M2
, Grando Stefania2
, Hash C T1
, Issaka Ahmed3
, Issoufou Kassari3
, Ousmane Sy4
, Sanogo Moussa5
, Zangre
Roger6
Kabore Roger7
, Asungre Peter8
and Tabo, Ramadjita9
1
ICRISAT Sahelian Center, Niamey BP 12404,Niger, 2
ICRISAT- Patancheru, Telangana, India, 502 324, 3
INRAN- Kolo and Maradi, Niger, 4
ISRA- Bambey,
Senegal, 5
IER- Cinzana, Mali, 6
INERA- Gampella, Burkina Faso, 7
AMSP- Kaya, Burkina Faso ,8
SARI- Bawku, Ghana and 9
ICRISAT- Bamako, Mali
*Corresponding author email: P.Gangashetty@cgiar.org
Partnership:
• Institute National de la Recherché Agronomique du Niger (INRAN)-
Niger .
• Institute d'Economie Rurale (IER) - Mali.
• Institute sénégalais de recherché agricoles (ISRA)- Senegal.
• Savanna Agricultural Research Institute(SARI) -Ghana.
• Institute de l'Environnement et Recherché Agricoles (INERA)- Burkina
Faso.
• Association Minim Sông Pânga - Burkina Faso.
• Chadian Agricultural research and development (ITRAD) – Chad.
• University of Abomey, Benin.
• Institute Togolese recherché agricoles – Togo.
• University of Sokoto, Nigeria.
Donor : Harvest Plus
CGIAR Research program on A4NH