Telangana: ICRISAT hosts third genebank small millets germplasm field day

The event attracted 51 researchers and breeders from 24 organisations, including representatives from public and private sectors, the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), as well as leading small millets research institutions.

Sangareddy: The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) hosted its third genebank small millets germplasm field day on November 11, at its headquarters in Hyderabad. The event attracted 51 researchers and breeders from 24 organisations, including representatives from public and private sectors, the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), as well as leading small millets research institutions.

The gathering provided participants with the opportunity to explore over 7,000 diverse small millet germplasm lines, including finger millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, and other promising lines of Kodo millet, proso millet, and little millet. Under the leadership of head ICRISAT Genebank, Dr Kuldeep Singh the attendees also had the chance to assess and select germplasm with specific traits that could contribute to broadening the genetic base of small millet cultivars for sustainable agriculture, food security, and improved nutrition.

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Dr Sean Mayes, global research program director for accelerated crop improvement at ICRISAT, underscored the importance of collaboration in advancing small millet research.“To mainstream small millets, we must establish a platform for converging research efforts and develop standardized protocols for evaluating yield, nutrition, and other key traits.”This will enable meaningful comparisons across varieties and strengthen the case for millets as a valuable crop,” said Dr Mayes.