This document summarizes two sorghum research initiatives - the BC-NAM project and the MARS project. The BC-NAM project aims to enhance sorghum grain yield and quality in West Africa using a backcross nested association mapping approach with 36 parental lines and 57 populations. The MARS project aims to improve sorghum productivity in Mali through an integrated marker-assisted recurrent selection approach using two parental lines. It provides updates on the current status and activities of both projects, including population development, phenotyping, genotyping, data management and international collaboration.

1. Sorghum
Research Initiative
Crop meeting
GCP - General Research Meeting
Hyderabad 25/9/11

2. Outline
• 1- Update on ongoing RI projects
• BCNAM: Enhancing sorghum grain yield and quality for the sudano-sahelian
zone of west africa using the backcross nested association mapping (BC-NAM)
approach
• MARS: Improving sorghum productivity in semi-arid environments of Mali
through integrated MARS
• II - Parallel Crop meeting
• Linking activities
• Community of Practices

3. Enhancing sorghum grain yield and quality
for the sudano-sahelian zone of west africa
using the backcross nested association
mapping (BC-NAM) approach

4. The maize Nested Association Mapping design
Dense genotyping
of 26 parents
Coarse
genotyping of
5000 progenies
Combine linkage and association analysis
5000 individuals
Yu et al., 2008. Genetics 178: 539–55

5. NAM non-recurrent parental-lines
NAM recurrent parental-line
Increase the genetic diversity of Australian sorghum by
introgression of new alleles into adapted backgrounds
• geographic or racial diversity
• observed phenotypic diversity
• phenotypic extremes
• elite lines from breeding programs in other countries
• fertile wild species
From D. Jordan
DGP programme at Queensland DEEDI

6. Box plots of NAM populations for environment types 1 & 4
expressed as deviations from the mean yield of the environment
group. The red line represents the performance of the RP.
Jordan et al., 2011
DGP programme at Queensland DEEDI

7. 36 parental lines
57 populations BC1F4
100-150 individuals each
10
CDP
14
SDP
10
SDP
Grinkan Lata3KKeni
BC-NAM populations development

8. BC-NAM parents
Donor parents are diverse in
height and botanical types.
Grinkan
Lata3 Keninkeni
Parental lines responds
differently to day length.
1416
SNPs

9. BC-NAM: current status
Population development
• Population development
• MABC ms3 conversion of
recurrent parents
(Grinkan, Keninkeni)
• Generation advancement
during offseason
• Phenotyping in 2012 rainy season on BC1F4 families
• Genotyping of BC1F3 (Managed at the GCP level)
• BC1F6 population released at the end of the project
3
ms3

10. BC-NAM: Current status
Recurrent parent Lata-3Lata-3 Grinkan Keninkeni
Donors # BC1F1 plants # BC1F2 families # BC1F2 families # BC1F2 families
Grinkan Common 1050 66 -- 150
Lata3 Common -- -- 79 30
Keninkeni Common 1050 59 11 --
E36 Common 1050 51 167 177
Framida Common 960 68 180 --
IS15401 Common 1500 55 168 160
IS23540 Common 1350 49 154 154
IS23645 Common 720 37 191 --
SC566 Common 1050 50 153 --
SK5912 Common 1050 86 94 --
IS24887 Common 1050 -- 144 171
Tieble (CSM 335) ICR. Spec. 1050 62 -- --
Ngolofing (CSM660) ICR. Spec. 1200 68 -- --
DouaG ICR. Spec. 840 50 -- --
Gnossiconi ICR. Spec. 1350 66 -- --
L2P9 ICR. Spec. 810 79 -- --
Lina ICR. Spec. 1050 85 -- --
Ribdahu ICR. Spec. 1350 81 -- --
Sambalma ICR. Spec. 810 82 -- --
Soumba (CIRAD 406) ICR. Spec. 1050 84 -- --
White Kaura ICR. Spec. 1200 76 -- --
Tiandougou IER Spec. -- -- 19 238
V33/08 IER Spec. -- -- 100 --
Sanga IER Spec. -- -- 3 154
Kalaban IER Spec. -- -- 200 204
Malisor IER Spec. -- -- 111 149
Y359 IER Spec. -- -- 154 154
BimbG IER Spec. -- -- 161 202
B35 IER Spec. -- -- 132 119
Konotene IER Spec. -- -- 210 --
CSM417 IER Spec. -- -- 189 100
CSM63 IER Spec. -- -- 103 --
CSM388 IER Spec. -- -- 199 --
Gadiaba IER Spec. -- -- 155 --
White Kaura IER Spec. -- -- 189 --

11. Improving sorghum productivity in
semi-arid environments of Mali
through integrated MARS

12. MARS: increase the exploration of recombination
potential in bi-parental population
Breed for :
multiple traits
polygenic traits
diverse environments...
...Towards an ideal genotype
cumulating favourable alleles from
both parents for all genes
involved in different target traits
X
Parent 1 Parent 2

13. MARS: increase the exploration of recombination
potential in bi-parental population
Breed for :
multiple traits
polygenic traits
diverse environments...
...Towards an ideal genotype
cumulating favourable alleles from
both parents for all genes
involved in different target traits
X
Parent 1 Parent 2
X
Parent 1 Parent 2
QTL detection
Multiple traits
Multiple
environments
GV

14. MARS: increase the exploration of recombination
potential in bi-parental population
Breed for :
multiple traits
polygenic traits
diverse environments...
...Towards an ideal genotype
cumulating favourable alleles from
both parents for all genes
involved in different target traits
X
Parent 1 Parent 2
X
Parent 1 Parent 2
GV GV GV GV GV GV GV GV GVGV GV GV GV
QTL detection
Multiple traits
Multiple
environments
GV

15. Lata3 KeninkeniTiandougou
Sowingdate11JulySowingdate11June
X X
Parents chosen for MARS are elite varieties with
complementary traits
Guinea type
Medium size
Photoperiod sensitive
Tillering
Caudatum type
Short size
Photoperiod sensitive
High productivity
GC type
Medium size
Photoperiod sensitive
Good grain quality
Photos:M.Vaksmann
400 F3 400 F3

16. MARS: current status
Year Season Population 1 Population 2
2008 Rainy Season S1 S1
2009 off S2 S2
2009 off S3 S3
2009 Rainy Season S4 S4
2010 off F3 Genotyping
2010 off S4 seed increase
2010 Rainy Season Multilocal Phenotyping F4 seed increase
2011 off QTL analysis
2011 Rainy Season C1 cycle (F4 families) Multilocal Phenotyping
2011 Rainy Season C1 Genotyping
2011 Rainy Season C1 crosses
2012 off C1 increase F3 Genotyping
2012 off QTL Analysis
2012 Rainy Season C1 evaluation
2012 Rainy Season C2 cycle C1 cycle (F4 families)
2012 Rainy Season C1 Genotyping C1 Genotyping
2012 Rainy Season C1 crosses C1 crosses
... ... ... ...

17. MARS multilocation phenotyping
• 3 locations : Sotuba, Cinzana, Farako
• 2 sowing dates in each location
• Multiple traits
• Yield and components
• Flowering date
• Plant morphology
• Panicle morphology and architecture
• Grain quality (NIRS + miniTô)

18. MARS implementation
4
SB040030
SB0401015.7
gpsb05026.9
cir32336.2
SB0402940.4
SB0403550.3
SB0404267.4
Xtxp1279.6
SB0408281.6
gpsb10290.5
cir320103.6
SB04103110.5
SB04109114.4
SB04111119
SB04117131
Xtxp24133.8
Xtxp327137.8
SB04137148.2
cir183159.7
SB04142167.7
gpsb028184.1
Xtxp21190.9
x
ANTHOSB111
BRABORTSB111
x
DHYLDCZ211
DTFLCZ111
x
DTFLCZ211
x
DTFLSB211
x
DTFLFK111
x
DTFLFK211
x
DTFLSB111
x
GDENSCZ211
GDENSSB211
x
GDENSFK111
x
GDENSFK211
GDENSSB111
GYLDCZ111
x
GYLDCZ211
GYLDSB211
GYLDFK111
x
GYLDFK211
GYLDSB111
GYLDBSPCZ111
GYLDBSTCZ111
HILNBCZ111
HILNBCZ211
HILNBSB211
HILNBFK111
HILNBFK211
x
HILNBSB111
INTNNCZ111
INTNNCZ211
x
INTNNSB211
INTNNSB111
KpCZ211
KpFK211
KpSB211
NBBRNODSB111
x
NBGPANCZ211
x
NBGPANSB211
NBGPANFK111
x
NBGPANFK211
NBGPANSB111
x
x
NBGRLVCZ211
x
NBGRLVSB211
NBGRLVSB111
x
NBNODPANSB111
x
NIRAMYCZ211
x
x
NIRHDCZ211
NIRLIPCZ211
x
NIRPROCZ211
NIRDHYLDCZ211
x
NIRTOCZ211
x
x
NIRVITROCZ211
PANGWGSB111
x
PANLCZ111
x
PANLCZ211
x
PANLSB211
x
PANLFK111
x
PANLFK211
x
PANLSB111
x
PANLbSB111
PANNCZ111
x
PANNCZ211
PANNSB211
PANNFK111
PANNFK211
PANNSB111
x
PEDLCZ111
x
PEDLCZ211
x
PEDLSB211
x
x
PEDLFK111
x
PEDLFK211
x
PEDLSB111
PERTHCZ211
PERTHSB211
PERTHFK111
PERTHFK211
PERTHSB111
PRBRLGSB111
x
PRBRNBSB111
SBRNBSB111
SBRPPRSB111
x
STEMLCZ111
x
STEMLCZ211
STEMLSB211
x
STEMLFK111
x
STEMLFK211
x
STEMLSB111
x
TGWCZ211
TGWSB211
TGWFK111
TGWFK211
TGWSB111
x
ToCOLCZ211
x
ToCONSCZ211
KK TIAN
Grain
Yield
To
color

19. MARS implementation
4
SB040030
SB0401015.7
gpsb05026.9
cir32336.2
SB0402940.4
SB0403550.3
SB0404267.4
Xtxp1279.6
SB0408281.6
gpsb10290.5
cir320103.6
SB04103110.5
SB04109114.4
SB04111119
SB04117131
Xtxp24133.8
Xtxp327137.8
SB04137148.2
cir183159.7
SB04142167.7
gpsb028184.1
Xtxp21190.9
x
ANTHOSB111
BRABORTSB111
x
DHYLDCZ211
DTFLCZ111
x
DTFLCZ211
x
DTFLSB211
x
DTFLFK111
x
DTFLFK211
x
DTFLSB111
x
GDENSCZ211
GDENSSB211
x
GDENSFK111
x
GDENSFK211
GDENSSB111
GYLDCZ111
x
GYLDCZ211
GYLDSB211
GYLDFK111
x
GYLDFK211
GYLDSB111
GYLDBSPCZ111
GYLDBSTCZ111
HILNBCZ111
HILNBCZ211
HILNBSB211
HILNBFK111
HILNBFK211
x
HILNBSB111
INTNNCZ111
INTNNCZ211
x
INTNNSB211
INTNNSB111
KpCZ211
KpFK211
KpSB211
NBBRNODSB111
x
NBGPANCZ211
x
NBGPANSB211
NBGPANFK111
x
NBGPANFK211
NBGPANSB111
x
x
NBGRLVCZ211
x
NBGRLVSB211
NBGRLVSB111
x
NBNODPANSB111
x
NIRAMYCZ211
x
x
NIRHDCZ211
NIRLIPCZ211
x
NIRPROCZ211
NIRDHYLDCZ211
x
NIRTOCZ211
x
x
NIRVITROCZ211
PANGWGSB111
x
PANLCZ111
x
PANLCZ211
x
PANLSB211
x
PANLFK111
x
PANLFK211
x
PANLSB111
x
PANLbSB111
PANNCZ111
x
PANNCZ211
PANNSB211
PANNFK111
PANNFK211
PANNSB111
x
PEDLCZ111
x
PEDLCZ211
x
PEDLSB211
x
x
PEDLFK111
x
PEDLFK211
x
PEDLSB111
PERTHCZ211
PERTHSB211
PERTHFK111
PERTHFK211
PERTHSB111
PRBRLGSB111
x
PRBRNBSB111
SBRNBSB111
SBRPPRSB111
x
STEMLCZ111
x
STEMLCZ211
STEMLSB211
x
STEMLFK111
x
STEMLFK211
x
STEMLSB111
x
TGWCZ211
TGWSB211
TGWFK111
TGWFK211
TGWSB111
x
ToCOLCZ211
x
ToCONSCZ211
KK TIAN
Grain
Yield
To
color
Economic
value of trait
t
Effect of the
fav. allele of
QTL q of trait
t
Probability of
occurence of
genotype i at
QTL q
Selection
value of
genotype i at
QTL q
GV = ∑βt ∑αqt ∑piqtδiqt
t q i

20. Data management & sharing
• Continue the integration of IBP data management tools with
activities of the RI: turn ongoing projects into well established
protocols that can be routinely applied.
• Data capture for breeding management
• Data capture for field evaluation and trait ontology adoption
• Decision support tools availability
• ICIS implementation
IER
Icrisat
Samanko
BCNAM
IcrisatCentral level
Project level
Local level

21. Working
together
with
the
Queensland
Government
Developing drought-adapted sorghum
germplasm for Africa and Australia
University of
Queensland Andrew
Borrell David Jordan
Queensland
Government Barb
George-Jaeggli
IER, Mali
Sidi Bekaye Coulibaly
Niaba Teme
Mamoutou Kouressy
CIRAD, Mali
Michel Vaksmann

22. Working
together
with
the
Queensland
Government
Objectives (Phase 2)
Objective 1: Evaluating in Africa the material
produced in Phase 1
Objective 2
• Training in Australia for visiting African scientists on
sorghum crop improvement
• Training in Africa by visiting Australian scientists on
sorghum crop improvement
Objective 3: Evaluation of African germplasm for
known stay-green regions

23. Working
together
with
the
Queensland
Government
Evaluation in Africa of material
produced in Phase I (Phase 2)
Seed from selected BC1F2 will be used by Malian
collaborators for final stage selection and evaluation.
QTL-enriched lines will be evaluated in about 12 trials per
year (6 countries x 2 sites per country) over 2 years.
Target countries will include Mali, Niger, Sudan, Ethiopia,
Kenya and Uganda.
Five plants from each of 15 backcross-derived
introgression lines have been selected (13 lines from
F2_R04021-2/PI609084 and 2 lines from F2_R04003-2/
PI585749).
Hence about 75 genotypes x 2 reps x 2 water regimes
(WW & WD) will be evaluated per site, depending on
irrigation capacity for WW treatment.
Evaluation will focus on yield, height, maturity, stay-green
and grain quality.
Mali, Niger, Sudan,
Ethiopia, Kenya & Uganda

24. Fingerprinting project
ICRISAT
(Mali)
IER
(Mali)
BCNAM
&
MARS
Parents
EMBRAPA
(Brasil)
RMP
Parents
Fingerprinting
Dataset
1416
Kaspar Conv.
SNPs
Deedi
(Australia)
SG QTL
enriched
material
INRAN
(Niger)
MOI U.
(Kenya)
ARC
(Sudan)
Ethiopia
Makere U.
(Uganda)
300
Breeding material characterization
MAB project design

25. A sorghum crop improvement
Community of Practice
• Sharing, improving exchange, coaching toward the common objective
of sorghum improvement
• Objectives:
• Being updated (Research, Opportunities, General information)
• Sharing technical and scientific information on methodologies
for modern breeding (Questions/Answers, Guidelines
repository, etc.)
• Sharing genetic material and data

26. A sorghum crop improvement
Community of Practice
• A virtual space of communication seems a good starting point
• IBP Portal
• Open
• Need for coordination and mentorship
• Complementary to existing sorghum CoPs (e.g McKnight F.)
that can be invited to participate and contribute to this CoP

27. Ibrahima Sissoko
Eva Weltzien
H Fred W Rattunde
Tom Hash
Bettina Haussmann
Elodie Lacut
Jean-Francois Rami
Ronan Rivallan
MichelVaksmann
David R Jordan
Andrew Borrell
Niaba Témé
Mamoutou Kouressy
Sidy Bekaye Coulibaly
Flakoro Coulibaly
Yacouba Dembélé
Mohamed Doumbia
Mahamady Kané
Korotimi Thera
Dramane Sako
Diarah Guindo
Frederic Cossic
Denis Lespinasse
Michel Ragot
Photo S. Braconnier
Jurandir Magalhaes
Martha Hamblin
Theresa Fulton
Leon Kochian
INRAN
Soumana souley
Moi University
Sam Gudu
Makere University
Richard Edema
Patrick Okiri