The Annual Group Meeting (AGM) on groundnut was organized through video conferencing on 25- 26, April 2022. Dr. CS Praharaj, Director ICAR-DGR, Junagadh welcomed all the participants and presented the highlights of AICRP-G programme made during rabi-summer, 2020-21 and kharif, 2021.
Dr. Sanjeev Gupta, ADG (O&P), ICAR and co-chairman of the AGM advised for constitution of a committee for necessary guidelines for promoting entries to advanced varietal trials for evaluation and identification. He suggested for a national crossing program for development of pre-breeding lines by inter specific hybridization for widening genetic base and sharing of segregating materials between centers. He also stressed to register germplasm showing consistent reaction for at least three years for a particular trait after validation at the institute or in artificial environmental conditions.
Dr. T.R. Sharma, DDG (CS), ICAR and chairman of the inaugural session mentioned that pre-breeding should be given main emphasis to broaden the genetic base of groundnut. He also mentioned that breeding programme should be strengthened through modern approaches like speed breeding, QTL mapping for major biotic and abiotic stress, genome wide association mapping tools, use of genome editing tools for drought tolerance, RNAi technology for addressing aflatoxin contamination. For crop protection programme he suggested that survey on emerging diseases and insect-pests should be conducted to study outbreak of races. Specific experiments should be designed to quantify the yield losses caused by different diseases and insect-pests. Prediction models should be developed to study the outbreak of diseases and insect-pests as well as development of high throughput phenotype facilities at hot spot location for screening breeding materials and mapping populations.
Dr. S.K. Bera, PI, Crop Improvement, Dr. B.S. Yenagi, PI, Crop Production, Dr. K. Vemana, PI, Crop Protection, Dr. Kirna Kumar Reddy, PI, FLDs and Dr. Praveen Kona, Nodal officer (BSP) presented the Action Taken Reports, research findings of AICRP-G during Kharif, 2021 and rabi summer, 2020-21 and technical programme for kharif, 2022 and rabi-summer, 2022-23.
In the plenary session, Dr. N. K. Gontia, Honorable Vice-Chancellor, JAU, Junagadh appreciated the efforts made in AICRPG and the accomplishments made during the last year and suggested to implement mechanization in groundnut cultivation especially using drone technology in monitoring the pest and diseases. He also stressed upon to promote micro irrigation and new varieties. The retiring scientists from various AICRP-G centres were also felicitated in the plenary session.
Around 150 participants from various parts of the country representing both public and private sectors involved in groundnut R&D participated in various sessions of the Annual Group Meeting on Groundnut through Video Conferencing. Dr. Praveen Kona, Nodal Officer, AICRP-G proposed the formal vote of thanks.
