Approximately 40% of the world’s pearl millet is grown in Africa; about 85% of this is in West Africa. Africa’s major pearl-millet producing countries include Niger (7 Mha), Nigeria (5 Mha), Chad (3.0 Mha), Burkina Faso (1.5 Mha), Mali (1.5 Mha), & Senegal (1.0 Mha). The average yield of pearl millet in this region ranges from 0.7 to 1.5 t/ha and predominant cultivation is by open pollinated varieties. The overall goal of this research activity is to enhance pearl millet pro­ductivity in West and Central Africa (WCA) through breeding of high yielding, downy mildew resistant, nutri­tious hybrids thereby contributing to food security, income generation and im­proved nutrition.

1. Gangashetty, Prakash
Scientist-Pearl millet breeding
RP-WCA, Niamey, Niger
Governing board meeting
10th April 2019
ICRISAT-Patancheru
Genetic improvement of Pearl millet
for West Africa
Photo credit: Prakash Gangashetty, ICRISAT

2. Introduction
The reduction in the length of the growing- season in Niger, Mali, Senegal and Burkina
Faso by 5–20 days since 1960 and a decline in August rainfall of about 40% require
development of relatively early maturing cultivars.
Mean Area, Production and yield of millets, (FAO,2012)
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
Burkina Faso Ghana Mali Niger Nigeria Senegal
Area, production and productivity of pearl millet in West Africa
Area (Million ha) Production (Million tonnes) Yield (Kg/ha)

3. Constraints of pearl millet production in West Africa

4. Agro climatic zones of West Africa

5. Pearl Millet Breeding,
ICRISAT, WCA
PCN1
Early duration pearl millet
varieties with disease resistance
for adaptation to sahelian zone of
West Africa
PCN2
Medium duration pearl millet varieties
with disease and pest resistance for
adaptation to Sudanian zone of West
Africa
PCN3
High yielding pearl millet hybrids
for adaptation to better endowed
environments of West Africa
Target countries
Testing PCN1/Year1
Testing PCN1/Year2/Selected on
farm/Demonstration
Large scale on farm
testing/Demonstration
Testing PCN2/Year1
Testing PCN2/Year2/Selected on
farm/Demonstration
Large scale on farm
testing/Demonstration
Testing PCN3/Year1
Testing PCN3/Year2/Selected on
farm/Demonstration
Large scale on farm
testing/Demonstration
Open pollinated varieties
(OPVs)
Seed parents
program
Restorer
program
Downy mildew
Striga hermonthica
Millet Head miner
Release
/Registration
Fe and Zn
Hybrids
Drought

6. CHAKTI
Biofortified (High Fe (60 ppm)), high
yielding (1.5 t/ha) and early
maturing (65 days)
pearl millet variety
Released in 2018
15 tons of certified seed
produced in Niger for CHAKTI in
2018
Annuaire National 2019 de
disponibilité en semences des
variétés
améliorées au Niger,
Source :MINISTÈRE DE
L’AGRICULTURE ET DE
L’ELEVAGE

7. Varieties released in 2018
ICMV 167006ICMV 167003 ICMV 167005ICMV 167002
ICMV 167004
26 tons of certified seed production in 2018 in Niger
Annuaire National 2019 de
disponibilité en semences des variétés
améliorées au Niger,
Source :MINISTÈRE DE L’AGRICULTURE ET DE L’ELEVAGE

8. Hybrid Pearl millet breeding in WCA
• Hybrid pearl millet for Sudanian Zone of
West Africa (PCN3)
• 200 Hybrids developed with locally adopted
restores and CMS
• Regional hybrid testing with NARs
• On farm testing and release of promising
hybrids (ICMH 177111, ICMH 157222)
Gangashetty et al., 2016. Preliminary yield testing of single and
top cross hybrids of pearl millet in Niger and Senegal
(http://drylandcereals.cgiar.org/index.php/preliminary-yield-
testing-of-single-and-top-cross-hybrids-of-pearl-millet-in-niger-
and-senegal)

10. Activities
- Characterization of the contrasting materials under
early and terminal drought stress conditions in both
control and field conditions
- Identification of relevant traits associated to high
yield under drought stress conditions
Results and main achievements
- Genotypic variation on transpiration in response to
early drought indicating different mechanisms of
drought tolerance
- Terminal drought decreased grains and biomass yield
up to 90%
- Entries F8xM1_C2, SosatxToronio, LCIC 9702,
PE05458 and PE00017 showed highest seed weight,
transpiration efficiency, specific leaf area and
revealed drought tolerant under both field and
lysimeter conditions.
Breeding for early and terminal drought stress conditions

11. Breeding for resistance to pearl millet downy mildew
in West Africa
Collection and multiplication of DM Isolates – 5 Isolates from Niger
(Sadore, Tara, Maradi, Matamaye and Konni)
Photo credit: Prakash Gangashetty, ICRISAT
DM screening facility at ISC Issa et al., 2018

12. Breeding for host plant resistance to millet head miner
Varieties Damage rating*
Mines Length
(cm)
Larval
produ
ction
index*
*
PE08043 3.58 ± 0.57 18.63 ± 3.47 17.5
PE00077 4.00 ± 2.51 5.00 ± 1.00 1.25
Moro 4.08 ± 0.52 20.75 ± 3.53 14.15
PE00025 4.62 ±0.56 19.37 ± 3.89 6.87
SNY-03-11 5.00 ± 0.01 19.00 ± 0.15 2.50
PE01490 5.33 ± 2.02 11.50 ± 6.50 2.50
PE05927 6.00 ± 2.50 16.00 ± 2.32 12.50
PE02783 6.12 ± 0.50 35.28 ± 3.84 26.62
GB8735 6.90 ± 0.56 37.85 ± 6.25 8.75
ICMV IS
92222
(sensitive
Check)
7 ±0.40 44±3.80 46.87
P<0.05 P<0.05
Good level of resistance to the head miner has been recorded on the
local landraces highlighted in green
1 2
3 4
5 6

13. Genetic studies on host plant resistance to
striga in pearl millet
• 29 Aw- host plant resistance to striga hermonthica
• SOSAT-C88_P10- Susceptible striga hermonthica
• Genetic studies - Screened 450 F2 plants form the F1
of cross SOSAT-C88 x 29 Aw
• 150 plants – resistant, 300 plants – Susceptible
• 3:1 (single recessive gene for resistance)
• Striga Control Phase- II (BMGF-KAUST-ICRISAT)- 2019-
2023
Photo credit: Prakash Gangashetty, ICRISAT
X
SOSAT-C88_P10 29 Aw
ICMV 147141 ICMV 147142 ICMV 147144
Striga resistant varieties performance in Striga Sick plot

14. Breeding pearl millet for improved stover quality –
Dual purpose millet
• Food grain and fodder – Dual purpose type
• High yielding, good stover quality and yield
are the target for breeding
• Testing the effect of dual purpose millet
varieties on sheep productivity performance.
• CHAKTI, Local HKP, ICMV 167002, ICMV
167005, ICMV 167006 and ICMH 177111
Photo credit: Dr Clarisse Umutoni, ICRISAT
Genotype
Grain Yield
(t/ha)
Stover Yield
(t/ha)
Metabolisable
energy
(mj / kg)
In Vitro
digestibility
(%)
CHAKTI 1.6 3.9 5.4 47
ICMH 177111 2.5 5.5 6.4 49
ICMV 167005 1.8 5.1 7.9 53
ICMV 167006 1.7 4.2 7.5 51
Local HKP 0.7 3.6 5.2 43

15. Modernizing ICRISAT and NARs breeding programs
in West Africa
New Seed store
Single head thresher for INERA-Burkina
Faso millet program
Harvest Master
ED-XRF

16. Multi-location testing pearl
millet hybrids (Pennisetum
glacum L.) in different agro
climatic zones of Niger for
adaption to climate change.
(2015-2018).
Mr. Hassane Zakari,
PhD student
Capacity building – Masters, PhD and PDF research
Dr Riyazaddin, SERB-OPDF
“Identification of Quantitative Trait
Loci (QTLs) associated with
resistance to millet head miner
(Heliocheilus albipunctella) and
determination of quantitative genetic
attributes of this resistance in a cross
of elite early-maturing pearl mille”
(2016-2018)
“Genetic studies on gene
action and combining ability
of pearl millet cultivars in
Ghana.
(2018-2022).
Mr. Peter Asungre,
PhD student
“Genetic studies on
gene action and
combining ability for
grain Fe and Zn density
in West African pearl
millet cultivars” at
WACCI, Ghana.
(2015-2019)
Mr. Bassirou Gaoh,
PhD student
“Studies on heterotic
grouping in pearl millet
accessions from Niger.
(2019-2023)
Mr. Ali Koura, PhD student
INRAN

17. • XRF analytical training
• Hybrid-parents breeding
• Downy mildew screening
• Seed production techniques
Capacity building
Mr Yaya, Master II, Niger Mr Godwin (Nigeria), Ms Harriet (Zimbabwe),
Master students from PAU, Ibadan, Nigeria
Mrs. Zara, Master II, Niger
Mrs. Salamatou, Master II,
Niger

18. Towards development of millet seed
sector in West Africa
• 3 seed processing units created (managed by
women) in 2015 and 2016
• Training farmer seed units on post-harvest
operations and seed processing- 5 (packaging,
labeling) and marketing
• Use of rural radio to create awareness
• Establishment of points of sale for seeds in 95
villages in 2018 and it will reach up to 150-170
villages in 2019
• Seed sales points associated with
demonstrations.

19. Current funding for the program
HarvestPlus
28%
BMGF
45%
KAUST, Saudi Arabia
9%
McKnight
5%
SMIL
3%
CRP-GLDC
6%
IITA
4%
FUNDING (US$)

20. Donors and Collaborators

21. Photo credit: Prakash Gangashetty, ICRISAT
Thank You for your attention!