Groundnut News: Scientists Cracks Ancestor Genome of Groundnut.

Hyderabad: A scientific breakthrough on the DNA sequencing of the groundnut promises the development of improved groundnut varieties with enhanced traits such as increased pod and oil yield, drought and heat tolerance and greater disease resistance.

A team of Scientists have decoded the complete DNA sequencing of the ancestor of the groundnut, the diploid A-genome hence Arachis duranensis. This team consist of 51 scientist, which are from 9 institutes in India, China, USA and Australia, it also include the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). This research could also help develop include aflatoxin-free, nutrition-rich and allergen-free varieties.

The important findings have been published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA on 31 May 2016.

Dr Rajeev Varshney is the Co-Coordinator of Genome Sequencing Project and Research Program Director, Genetic Gains program at ICRISAT. He said, “This will provide an efficient road map for sustainable and resilient groundnut production for improved livelihoods of smallholder farmers particularly in the marginal environments of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.”

Along with chickpea, pigeonpea, sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, groundnut is one of ICRISAT’s mandate crops. ICRISAT currently leading the genome sequencing of pearl millet. These high-quality genome sequencing efforts have put ICRISAT in select advanced research institutes of the world.

Source: http://www.icrisat.org/