Heterosis Effects on Genetic Biofortification of Grain Iron and Zinc in Pearl Millet (Pennisetumglacum L.).

Abstract

Pearl millet is traditionally a small grain crop, adapted to marginal environments. Micronutrient malnutrition arising from deficiency of one or more essential micronutrients. Crop biofortification is a sustainable and cost-effective approach to address micro nutrient malnutrition, especially in the developing world. It refers to the development of micronutrientdense staple crops using conventional breeding practices. Availability of traits of concern in improved genetic background greatly enhances the breeding efficiency for the target trait combining with other desirable agronomic traits. The main objective of this study was to determine heterosis for Fe and Zn by using line x tester analysis. Low level of heterosis over mid-parent (MP) for grain Fe and Zn and no hybrid with significant heterosis over better-parent (BP) for Fe and Zn, suggested that there would be little opportunity, if any, to exploit heterosis for these traits. This would also mean that to breed high Fe and high Zn hybrids, these traits will have to breed into both parental lines of hybrids.Based on the results, it can be concluded that there are good prospects of genetic enhancement for grain Fe and Zn content ratio interm of hybrid development in pearl millet.

Edaphic and Foliar Biofortification of Common Black Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with Iron

“…Biofortification programs focus on increasing the iron, zinc, selenium and vitamin A content. The programs complement and sometimes replace, fortification or chemical supplementation with minerals (Rani et al, 2019). Iron deficiency affects over 30% of the world's population and, disproportionately harms women, children and babies (Nissar et al, 2019).…”