AI Article Synopsis

  • Pearl millet is a critical food source for over 90 million farmers in dry regions of sub-Saharan Africa, India, and South Asia.
  • Researchers have sequenced the whole genome of a reference genotype, revealing approximately 38,579 genes and a focus on genes related to wax biosynthesis, which may enhance the crop's heat and drought resistance.
  • The study also involved resequencing 994 pearl millet lines to explore genetic diversity and domestication, aiming to support genomic selection and hybrid performance prediction for better breeding outcomes.

Article Abstract

Pearl millet [Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone] is a staple food for more than 90 million farmers in arid and semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa, India and South Asia. We report the ∼1.79 Gb draft whole genome sequence of reference genotype Tift 23DB-P1-P5, which contains an estimated 38,579 genes. We highlight the substantial enrichment for wax biosynthesis genes, which may contribute to heat and drought tolerance in this crop. We resequenced and analyzed 994 pearl millet lines, enabling insights into population structure, genetic diversity and domestication. We use these resequencing data to establish marker trait associations for genomic selection, to define heterotic pools, and to predict hybrid performance. We believe that these resources should empower researchers and breeders to improve this important staple crop.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6871012PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3943DOI Listing

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