Indian Institute of Millets Research

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) holds significant global importance as both a spice and a vegetable, extensively cultivated for its unique pungency, nutritional value, and diverse pharmaceutical uses. Being a warm tropical fruit vegetable, it is highly sensitive to heat stress (HS). However, temperature above 33 °C impairs its reproduction, subsequently impacting fruit yield and seed quality. Despite this vulnerability, pepper harbors substantial genetic diversity for key morphological, fruit, and seed traits. Therefore, studying this genetic diversity and identifying genome-wide candidate genes through GWAS for these traits under heat-stress conditions is crucial for advancing heat-resilient pepper improvement. We assessed the genotypic and phenotypic variance among 146 diverse accessions in two seasons (S1: 2022 and S2: 2023) under HS condition. Key morphological, fruit, and seed traits exhibited significant genotypic effects (P < 0.001) across seasons. A pooled ANOVA revealed significant genotype × season interactions for a number of traits, including leaf length (LL), number of primary branch (NPB), average fruit width (AFW), average fruit weight (AF Wt), and hundred-seed weight (HSW). The majority of traits exhibited high heritability (>60%) and high genetic advance (>20%) suitable for selection. Genome-wide SNP screening identified 292.91 million biallelic SNPs, with 1,04,354 high-quality SNPs chosen for GWAS. Population structure and PCA revealed three genetic subpopulations, with LD decay estimated at 580.21 kb, showing extended LD. The BLINK model with Bonferroni correction (−log₁₀(p) > 7.01) identified 58 significant MTAs across all chromosomes, with chr01 having highest (13) followed by chr03 (10), chr11 (6), chr05 (5), chr10 (5), chr06 (4), chr07 (4), chr12 (4), chr04 (3), chr08 (2) and chr09 (2). Fourteen MTAs were consistent across seasons, including one pleiotropic SNP that affects six traits. In-silico annotation revealed that the majority of potential SNPs were found in gene-rich locations. Our study offers significant insights into phenotypic and genetic diversity of pepper for heat tolerance. The BLINK model detected 14 consistent MTAs. Annotated putative genes were mainly associated with cell differentiation, hormonal signalling, flowering, fruit and seed biology, making them useful targets for climate-resilient breeding programs and MAS strategies.

Introduction Millets are recognized as “crops of antiquity” due to their resilience to drought, resistance to pests and diseases, and high nutritional value. Often referred to as “nutri-cereals” or “wonder cereals,” they contribute to food, fodder, health, livelihood, ecological, and economic security while maintaining a low water footprint. In India's North Eastern Region (NER), millets have long been integral to tribal food systems and ethnobotanical practices. However, post-Green Revolution factors such as dietary shifts, urbanization, expansion of cash crops, and increased reliance on subsidized rice have led to a substantial decline in millet cultivation and consumption. Methods This study adopted a systematic evidence-based research design combining extensive literature retrieval, screening, and thematic synthesis. Data were collected from scientific databases, government reports, and institutional publications focusing on millet diversity, ethnobotanical uses, cultivation practices, and nutrient management in the NER. Selected studies were analyzed to document traditional uses and assess constraints and opportunities for expanding millet cultivation under changing climatic conditions. Results The analysis revealed that millets hold significant ethnobotanical value among tribal communities, being used for food, beverages, fodder, and traditional medicine. Despite their importance, a considerable decline in cultivation area and consumption patterns was observed over recent decades. Major constraints include soil acidity, limited access to quality seeds, weak market linkages, declining traditional knowledge, and institutional neglect. The findings also indicate that millets offer economic benefits for small and marginal farmers, including reduced livestock feed costs and improved livelihood resilience. Discussion Reviving millet cultivation in the NER presents substantial opportunities to enhance nutritional security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. Integrating indigenous knowledge with improved nutrient management practices, policy support, and value chain development can facilitate the expansion of millet-based farming systems. The study highlights the need to prioritize conservation of diverse millet species, strengthen research on their nutritional properties, and promote policies to mainstream millets within regional agricultural systems.

Reliable estimation of rice yield is essential for food security planning, climate-resilient agriculture, and informed policy decisions. This review synthesizes recent research on the integration of remote sensing and crop simulation models for rice yield estimation. The analysis shows that optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data are the most commonly used remote sensing sources, with SAR proving especially valuable in monsoon-affected regions due to its ability to provide consistent observations under cloud cover. Among crop simulation models, DSSAT, APSIM, ORYZA, and WOFOST are most frequently applied, either independently or in combination with satellite-derived information. Across the reviewed studies, integrated approaches, particularly those using data assimilation and hybrid modeling, consistently achieve higher accuracy and better spatial representation of yield compared to standalone remote sensing or crop model methods. Despite these advances, limitations related to data availability, model calibration, scale mismatches, and climate-induced uncertainty remain significant. Based on the reviewed evidence, future efforts should focus on developing practical hybrid frameworks, improving multi-sensor data fusion, and designing scalable systems suited to data-limited regions. Overall, integrating remote sensing with crop simulation models offers a robust pathway for improving rice yield forecasting and supporting climate-adaptive agricultural management.

Addressing micronutrient malnutrition requires targeted biofortification of staple crops such as pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.], which is widely consumed in arid and semi-arid regions. This study assessed 47 advanced breeding lines developed at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, to evaluate genetic variability, heritability, and diversity for nutritional (iron, zinc, protein, starch, oil, amylose) and anti-nutritional (phytate and phenol) traits. Substantial variation was observed for grain iron (33.9-121.4mg/kg), zinc (27.4-90.0mg/kg), and protein (7.99-15.56%). High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, coupled with high heritability and genetic advance for iron, zinc, and protein, indicated the predominance of additive gene action, suggesting that simple phenotypic selection can be effectively employed for trait improvement. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations between iron, zinc, and protein, enabling simultaneous enhancement of these key traits. Multivariate analyses (PCA and hierarchical clustering) identified three distinct genetic clusters, with one group (Cluster II) exhibiting superior iron and zinc profiles. The presence of broad genetic diversity and favourable trait combinations underscore the potential of these genotypes as donors in breeding programs aimed at developing nutrient-dense pearl millet varieties/ hybrids. This work contributes critical insights toward the genetic enhancement of pearl millet to alleviate hidden hunger and improve dietary quality in vulnerable populations.

Improving early seedling establishment is critical for enhancing crop performance under diverse agro‐climatic conditions. This study investigated the effect of seed priming with zinc and iron (as nanoparticles (NPs), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelates, and sulfates) and iodine (as iodides) on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Punjab Ratta) under complete randomized design (CRD). Seed priming with zinc nanoparticles (Zn‐NP) resulted in the highest germination percentage (95.00%), seed vigor index I (1215.05), total seedling length (12.79 cm), and fresh weight (0.41 g) among all other treatments. Zn‐NP also enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, showing 23.25% increase in superoxide dismutase, 44.45% catalase, and 9.42% peroxidase activity as compared to control. Meanwhile, lipid peroxidation reduced by 63.30% malondialdehyde (MDA) content under the iron nanoparticles (Fe‐NP) treatment relative to control. Iodine treatments also performed better than the control but were less effective than zinc and iron treatments. Additionally, seed priming improved mobilization of seed reserves contributing to early seedling growth. Multivariate analyses (principal component analysis and heat map) also supported the superior performance of Zn‐NP and Fe‐NP treatments. Overall, zinc‐, iron‐, and iodine‐based seed priming, especially in the form of NPs, significantly improved germination, vigor, and oxidative stress tolerance in tomato.

Leadership plays an essential role in developing professional competence, enhancing decision-making ability and fostering effective teamwork in agricultural education. The present study aimed to identify dominant leadership styles and to analyse factors influencing leadership behaviour among postgraduate agriculture students. The present study was conducted among postgraduate students enrolled in state agricultural universities in Southern India during 2024-25 academic year, with a sample size of 200 respondents selected through random sampling techniques. A descriptive-cum-analytical research design was employed to examine their leadership style, locus of control and resilience orientation. Standardized psychometric methodologies were used for primary data collection, including the leadership effectiveness and adaptability description (LEAD) questionnaire, based on the Hersey and Blanchard situational leadership model and the Nicholson McBride resilience questionnaire (NMRQ). The collected data were analysed to understand the adaptability of leadership behaviour and resilience characteristics among agricultural postgraduates. Both descriptive statistics and the multinomial logistic regression model were employed for analysis. Results revealed that the participating leadership style (38.00 %) was most prevalent among agricultural students, followed by delegating (32.50 %), telling (17.00 %) and selling (12.50 %). The model fitting test (χ² = 38.130; df = 21; p = 0.012) indicated that the fitted model was statistically significant at 1 % level. Among the predictors, gender, order of birth and locus of control significantly influenced leadership orientation, while variables such as previous education background, decision-making ability and future goal orientation were not significant. The findings underscore the need to integrate structured leadership training and psychological development programs within agricultural education to enhance adaptive, inclusive and resilient leadership competencies among future professionals.

Rancidity significantly limits the shelf-life and market potential of pearl millet flour and its processed food items, despite the grain’s nutritional superiority. This study employed a comprehensive metabolomic and biochemical approach to unravel the mechanisms underlying rancidity in pearl millet cultivars—Pusa-1201 (hybrid) and Chadhi Bajri (landrace). Untargeted LC–MS profiling revealed pronounced metabolic alterations in stored flour of Pusa-1201, with elevated levels of lipid degradation products (3-oxotetradecanoyl-CoA), pigments (chlorophyllide b), free fatty acids, etc. In contrast, Chadhi Bajri exhibited unique antioxidant and stress-protective metabolites (quercetin 3-sulfate, rosmarinate), indicating greater resistance to oxidative degradation. Enzymatic assays showed a storage-dependent increase in lipase, lipoxygenase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase activities—particularly in Pusa-1201—correlating strongly with rancidity indices, including acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), and free fatty acid content (FFA). Multivariate statistical analyses (PLS-DA, VIP plots, heat-maps) highlighted discriminatory metabolites contributing to rancidity progression and oxidative stress. A set of 25 metabolites, including phytol, ethanolamine, chlorophyllide b, and glucoside derivatives, emerged as key biomarkers of rancidity. These findings provide valuable insights for developing metabolite-based sensors to assess rancidity behaviour across diverse pearl millet accessions. Further, the information can be used to develop technology for enhancing flour’s stability and utilisation in developing processed food products.