Identify high-iron commercial cultivars for fast-track release and adoption. Use existing high-iron hybrid parents from mainstream breeding program to develop high-iron hybrids. Breed hybrid parents for high iron as a target trait for high-iron hybrid development.

1. Sep 2014
Inclusive Market-Oriented
Development (IMOD) –
our approach to bringing
prosperity in the drylands.
ICRISAT is a member of the
CGIAR Consortium.
Breeding High-Iron Pearl Millet
Wide ranging research partnerships with
public and private sectors
• 5 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)
• 14 Seed Companies
This work is
undertaken
as part of
1. Research for development strategy
• Identify high-iron commercial cultivars for fast-track release and
adoption.
• Use existing high-iron hybrid parents from mainstream breeding
program to develop high-iron hybrids.
• Breed hybrid parents for high iron as a target trait for high-iron
hybrid development.
• Screen germplasm for diverse high-iron sources.
• Develop broad-based partnerships
2. Variability for grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn)
density in commercial hybrids
• Large variability
among
commercial
cultivars both for
iron (Fe) and zinc
(Zn) density.
• High-iron
cultivars
identification
included in the
Nutri-Farm Pilot
Program of Govt.
of India.
Cultivar
Fe (ppm) Zn (ppm) Grain yield (t ha-1) Stover yield (t ha-1)
Mean Range Mean Range Mean Range Mean Range
Dhanashakti 71 49-106 38 18-71 2.20 0.65-5.65 5.30 1.9-6.8
ICTP 8203 65 31-94 39 19-71 1.97 0.63-4.30 4.70 1.7-6.5
Mean of 42 trials during 2010-2011.
3. High-iron pearl millet variety Dhanashakti
• Using variability within ICTP 8203, its improved version
‘Dhanashakti’ was developed.
• Based on 42 trials, Dhanashakti had 9% higher Fe density, 11
% higher grain yield and 13% higher dry fodder yield than ICTP
8203.
• Dhanashakti has been officially released and notified by Central
Variety Releasing Committee, Govt. of India and included in the
Nutri-Farm Pilot Program
• Dhanashakti is under commercial production by Nirmal Seed
Company.
4. High-iron pearl millet hybrid ICMH 1201
• Utilizing existing high-Fe hybrid parents several high-Fe hybrids
developed
• Based on 41 trials, ICMH 1201 had Fe density similar to ICTP
8203, but 38 % higher grain yield.
• ICMH 1201 under commercial production by Shakti Vardhak Seed
Company
Cultivar
Fe (ppm) Zn (ppm)
Grain yield
(t ha-1)
Time to 50%
bloom (days)
Mean Range Mean Range Mean Range Mean Range
ICMH 1201 75 47-102 39 18-69 3.45 1.49-4.83 48 41-56
ICTP 8203 71 50-102 42 19-77 2.47 1.33-4.48 45 36-54
Mean of 41 trials during 2011-2013
5. Variability for grain Fe and Zn density in
early-generation breeding lines
• Hybrids with higher Fe levels
than those produced so far
can be developed by breeding
parental lines for high Fe
density as a target trait
• Large number of progenies
with Fe levels far exceeding
ICTP 8203 developed.
6. Variability for grain Fe and Zn density in
iniadi progenies
• Several progenies from iniadi
accessions with much higher
Fe density than ICTP 8203
identified.
• It is yet to be studied whether
any of these progenies carry
genes for high Fe density
different from those in
mainstream breeding lines.
7. Relationship between Fe/Zn density and
grain yield in high-iron hybrid ICMH 1201
• No relationship between
grain yield of ICMH 1201 and
its Fe/Zn density at various
productivity levels.