What are the key achievements in the genetic improvement of pearl millet, sorghum, and small millets in India, and how have these contributed to enhanced yield, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality?
Pearl Millet: India became the first country in the world to develop a grain hybrid (HB 1) in 1965, utilizing a cytoplasmic-genetic male-sterile line (Tift 23A) and a restorer line (BIL 3B). Crop productivity increased dramatically from 305 kg/ha during 1951-1955 to 998 kg/ha during 2008-2012, registering a 227% improvement with more than 90% cultivation under rainfed conditions. The genetic improvement occurred in four phases: discovery and utilization of CMS in hybrid development (1967-1983) with 6.6 kg/ha annual productivity increase, development of genetically diverse CMS lines (1984-2000) with 19.0 kg/ha per year increase, and the genetic diversification phase (2001-2018). An annual yield increase of 4% has been realized in the last three decades, with 115 improved cultivars released in the previous 25 years, providing wider cultivar choice across various agro-ecological regions.
Sorghum: The absolute grain yield genetic gain from 1990 is 44.93 kg/ha/year over the first released variety CSV 15, with mean yield increasing from 2658 kg/ha of CSV 15 in the 1990s to 4069 kg/ha of SPV 2579 developed in the 2020s. Top varieties achieved significant improvements: SPV 2579, SPV 2678, and SPV 2578 for grain yield; PYPS 2, SPV 2769, and SPV 2679 for fodder yield; and PYPS 8, PYPS 2, and SPV 2179 for shoot fly tolerance. Sweet sorghum variety CSV 24SS was released in 2011, and hybrid Phule Vasundhara (RSSH-50) was released in 2015 for Maharashtra cultivation.
Minor Millets: The reference genome for foxtail millet was completed in 2012, enabling advanced genetic improvements. The molecular basis of waxy starch has been identified in foxtail millet, proso millet, and barnyard millet to facilitate their use in infant foods, with comparative genomics helping decipher quantitative trait loci and genes linked to protein quality. Outstanding landraces S3G5, Red, Black, and S1C1 showed superior grain yield with earlier flowering and maturity compared to released cultivars, with diversity analysis detecting 127 alleles, including 11 rare alleles.
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