An extra-early pearl millet hybrid called HHB 67 Improved was developed through inter-institutional collaboration using marker-assisted breeding. It has enhanced downy mildew resistance and 10% higher yield than the original HHB 67 hybrid. HHB 67 Improved was created by crossing an improved downy mildew resistant seed parent with an improved restorer parent that had additional downy mildew resistance QTLs identified through markers. HHB 67 Improved had almost no downy mildew incidence compared to 98% in HHB 67 under disease pressure and became widely adopted by farmers, increasing incomes.

1. Developed via inter-institutional collaboration,
integrating marker-assisted, participatory and conventional
breeding methods, extra-early pearl millet hybrid HHB 67 Improved
has enhanced downy-mildew resistance and yield
Extra-early Pearl Millet
Hybrids
July 2012
HHB 67 and HHB 67 Improved were rapidly
adopted by farmers and the seed industry.
Principal Scientist CT Hash (in hat) identifying an off-type plant in a
field of pearl millet.
Pearl millet is an inexpensive source of dietary energy, protein and
important nutrients in the dry tropics of Asia and Africa.
Fig 1. Two native downy mildew resistance
QTL ( ) identified in H 77/833‑2, and two
additional QTL ( ) pyramided through
marker-assisted selection from donor parent
ICMP 451.
Fig 2. Grain yield (GY), stover yield (SY) and
downy mildew incidence (DM) in HHB 67
and HHB 67 Improved.
Overview
Large-scale adoption of hybrids in India
has contributed to 73% increase in
pearl millet productivity during the last
25 years. However, the drier and most
drought-prone arid parts of Rajasthan,
Haryana and Gujarat receiving <400
mm of seasonal rainfall, benefitted
little from hybrid technology due to
lack of adapted hybrids, with early
maturity being one of the essential
requirements. An extra-early-maturing
hybrid, HHB 67 (matures in 65 days)
developed on an ICRISAT-bred male-
sterile line by CCS Haryana Agricultural
University (CCSHAU) was released
in 1990, and was rapidly adopted by
farmers in Haryana and Rajasthan.
With limited hybrid cultivar options for
this zone, and having learned hard
lessons about the vulnerability of single-
cross hybrids to downy mildew (DM)
disease, a proactive breeding effort was
initiated by ICRISAT in 1991 to develop
more DM-resistant versions of the seed
parents of HHB 67.
The Innovation
❖❖ HHB 67 was developed at CCSHAU by crossing inbred
restorer line H 77/833-2 (bred at CCSHAU) onto an
exceptionally early seed parent, 843A (bred by ICRISAT from
materials introduced from Kansas State University, USA),
reflecting inter-institutional research efforts.
❖❖ Several DM-resistant versions of the seed parent were
developed at ICRISAT using conventional pedigree and
backcross breeding.
❖❖ Efforts involving ICRISAT and advanced research institutes in
the UK had identified two DM resistance QTLs in H 77/833-2.
Two more were added using marker-assisted backcrossing
(Figure 1) to develop more DM-resistant male parents.
❖❖ HHB 67 Improved, produced by crossing improved DM-
resistant seed parent 843-22A with improved restorer parent
H 77/833-2-202, was almost free of DM incidence vs. 98%
incidence in HHB 67 under high disease pressure (Figure 2).
❖❖ In over 3 years in national trials, HHB 67 Improved gave
1992 kg ha-1
grain yield and 4.5 t ha-1
stover yield (about 10%
more than HHB 67). It was released in 2005 by authorities in
India, and was the first public-bred field crop developed by
marker-assisted breeding to reach farmers’ fields in India.
The Impact
❖❖ In 2002 (12 years after its release),
HHB 67 was cultivated on about
774,000 ha in Haryana and
Rajasthan. Superior performing
HHB 67 Improved spread to 875,000
ha by 2011 (6 years after
its release).
❖❖ Net additional benefits to the
farming community from cultivation
of HHB 67 Improved over the local
varieties in Rajasthan and over
HHB 67 in Haryana in 2011 alone
reached Rs 675 million (US$13.5
million).
❖❖ Seed production of HHB 67 Improved
gave a net income of US$6.4 million
in 2011 alone to the smallholder
seed producers in Andhra Pradesh
and Gujarat. It also generated
at least 900,000 person days of
employment (45% for women).
❖❖ HHB 67 Improved helped stabilize
pearl millet production and release
land for crop diversification with
sesame, cluster bean, and food
legumes. The short duration of
HHB 67 and HHB 67 Improved
also facilitates cultivation of winter
season rotational crops such as
mustard, wheat and chickpea, thus
doubling cropping intensity and
substantially increasing incomes.
Partners
John Innes Centre, Norwich; Institute
of Grassland and Environmental
Research, Aberystwyth; University of
Wales, Bangor, UK; and Chaudhary
Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural
University (CCSHAU), Hisar, Haryana,
India
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
100
80
60
40
20
0
1.80
2.00
4.10
4.50
98
0.05
GY SY DM
HHB 67
GYandSY(tha-1
)
DMincidence(%)
HHB 67 Improved