Novel genetic marker-assisted breeding produced a pearl millet hybrid grown on 700,000 ha of drought-prone areas in Northern India which has improved food security of three million people
Impact Summary for the General Public
Research using novel techniques of genetic marker-aided selection enabled the development of new high yield, disease- and drought-resistant pearl millet hybrids, of which HHB67-Improved was released throughout India. HHB67-Improved is the first product of marker-assisted breeding to reach cereal producers in India and has spread rapidly since its release, preventing yield losses to downy mildew of up to 30% (valued at £7.8M) per year, and providing £2.6M additional annual grain yield. By 2011, it was grown on over 700,000 ha and currently three million people have improved food security as a direct result of this international development focused work.
Category of impact
- Economic
- Health/Quality of life
Research outputs (6)
- Published
Teamwork delivers biotechnology products to Indian small-holder crop-livestock producers: Pearl millet hybrid “HHB 67 Improved” enters seed delivery pipeline
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Participatory plant breeding is better described as highly client-oriented plant breeding. I. Four indicators of client-orientation in plant breeding
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Pearl Millet Genomics and Breeding for Resistance to Downy Mildew
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter