New millet hybrid boosts iron, zinc, and yield together
Punia M, Sharma LD, Gothwal DK, Kajla SL, Rolaniya LK
Crop Improvement
Pearl millet feeds millions of people in drought-prone regions where iron and zinc deficiency is widespread, and this breeding breakthrough shows farmers won't have to choose between a nutritious crop and a productive one.
Scientists crossed ten different pearl millet plant lines to see which combinations produced grain that was both high-yielding and rich in iron, zinc, and protein. They found one standout hybrid that delivers all of these traits at once, and discovered that iron and zinc levels tend to rise together, making it easier to breed for both nutrients in a single plant.
Key Findings
Hybrid RIB-9184 x RIB-15131 combined 18.84 g/plant yield with 46.16 mg/kg iron, 38.86 mg/kg zinc, and 11.91% protein
Iron and zinc levels are strongly genetically correlated (rg = 0.82), allowing breeders to improve both nutrients simultaneously
Grain yield is driven mainly by non-additive gene effects (Baker's ratio 0.54), favoring hybrid breeding, while nutrient traits show additive inheritance (Baker's ratio 0.71-0.91) with high heritability (0.90-0.94)
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers bred pearl millet hybrids that pack more iron, zinc, and protein into grain without sacrificing yield, identifying a top-performing cross that could help fight malnutrition in dry farming regions.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Combining ability and gene action for grain yield and biofortification traits in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]: implications for breeding high-yielding biofortified hybrids in arid regions.
Hybrid RIB-9184 × RIB-15131 combines high yield (18.84 g plant⁻¹) with iron (46.16 mg kg⁻¹), zinc (38.86 mg kg⁻¹), and protein (11.91%); Fe-Zn correlation (rg = 0.82) permits simultaneous biofortif...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Gene editing removes 97% of celiac-triggering proteins from bread wheat
It could mean that people with celiac disease — roughly 1 in 100 worldwide — may one day safely eat bread made from real wheat, without sacrificing the taste...
Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. It has been grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. The center of diversity and suggested area of domestication for the crop is in the Sahel zone of West Africa.