Pigeonpea improvement: An amalgam of breeding and genomic research

In the past five decades, constant research has been directed towards yield improvement in pigeonpea resulting in the deployment of several commercially acceptable cultivars in India. Though, the genesis of hybrid technology, the biggest breakthrough, enigma of stagnant productivity still remains unsolved. To sort this productivity disparity, genomic research along with conventional breeding was successfully initiated at ICRISAT. It endowed ample genomic resource providing insight in the pigeonpea genome combating production constraints in a precise and speedy manner. The availability of the draft genome sequence with a large‐scale marker resource, oriented the research towards trait mapping for flowering time, determinacy, fertility restoration, yield attributing traits and photo‐insensitivity. Defined core and mini‐core collection, still eased the pigeonpea breeding being accessible for existing genetic diversity and developing stress resistance. Modern genomic tools like next‐generation sequencing, genome‐wide selection helping in the appraisal of selection efficiency is leading towards next‐generation breeding, an awaited milestone in pigeonpea genetic enhancement. This paper emphasizes the ongoing genetic improvement in pigeonpea with an amalgam of conventional breeding as well as genomic research.     

Disseminating modern sweetpotato varieties using participatory variety demonstration trials on informal nodal multipliers’ fields at hub locations

It is shown for the first time how participatory variety demonstration (PVD) trials can establish modern varieties in informal seed systems in a developing country by targeting nodal multipliers occupying hub locations. A series of relatively few, small (each 36 m²) PVD trials was conducted over a period of 3 years in sweetpotato multipliers’ fields at three locations in Uganda; multipliers and farmers were encouraged to visit during crop growth and on field days; yields at final harvest and other traits considered important to multipliers and farmers were recorded. In the following dry season, the areas of the introduced varieties established in the lowland crops used by multipliers to conserve planting material were recorded. The two most popular varieties had a recorded area of about 1 ha each and were calculated to have increased sixfold annually from the trials; the next two occupied 0.5 ha each, confirming that the method is effective, cheap, and efficient.     

The effect of fermentation on the nutrient status and on some toxic components ofIcacinia manni

The effect of fermentation on the nutrient status and on some toxic components ofIcacinia manni was investigated. Chemical analysis of both unfermented and fermented products revealed an increase in protein, ash and fibre content while the lipid and carbohydrate content showed a decrease. The results indicated that fermentation resulted in protein enrichment of the fermentedIcacinia manni mash. Fermentation was also observed to cause a marked decrease in the level of some toxic components (oxalic acid, phytic acid and hydrocyanic acid) of the product. The possibility of incorporatingIcacinia manni among the edible starchy plant tubers is discussed.