Generation Challenge Programme 2011 Project updates (incorporating projects completed in 2010 and 2009) August 2011 Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) Hosted by CIMMYT (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo; the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) Mailing address: Physical address: c/o CIMMYT, Apdo Postal 6–641 c/o CIMMYT Km 45 Carretera México–Veracruz 06600 Mexico, DF Mexico El Batán, Texcoco, México, CP 56130 Tel: +52 55 5804 2004 Fax: +52 55 5804 7558 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] www.generationcp.org i Published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Mexico licence. This licence allows all users to read, copy (in full or in part), distribute or adapt this work, providing that they: (i) acknowledge GCP as the original author of the work; (ii) do not use it for commercial purposes; and, (iii) require other users to observe conditions (i) and ii), (ie, other parties must also acknowledge GCP and use the work for non-commercial purposes). Correct Citation: CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme, 2011. 2011 Project updates (incorporating projects completed in 2010 and 2009). Texcoco, Mexico: Generation Challenge Programme. Compiled by: Gillian Summers Cover illustration: Recomposition based on original artwork by Rhoda Okono entitled Autumn in Africa: revisted Art direction: Miguel Mellado E Editorial note: Project updates are published as presented by the authors, except for updates that extended beyond the set word limit where text beyond this point has been omitted, indicated by continuation dots/suspension points (...) This publication has been printed in black-and-white. For colour images, please contact the appropriate Principal Investigator. ii Table of contents Acronyms and abbreviations .................................................................................................. xi 2011 PROJECTS .................................................................................................................... 1 Research Initiative crops .................................................................................................... 1 Cassava ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1. G3007.03: Genetic and physical mapping resources produced for drought breeding in cassava .......... 1 2. G7010.01.01: Development of a genetic resource base for drought and biotic stress improvement in cassava ........................................................................................................................ 3 3. G7009.10/G7010.01.02: Improving and deploying markers for biotic stresses in cassava ................... 4 4. G7009.09/G7010.01.03: Implement MARS Project for drought tolerance in Africa............................ 6 5. G7010.01.04: Phenotyping cassava for drought tolerance to identify QTLs ........................................ 7 NO UPDATE SUBMITTED ............................................................................................................................... 7 Capacity building: Cassava .......................................................................................................................... 8 6. G7010.01.05/G4008.26: A Cassava Breeding Community of Practice in Africa for accelerated Production and Dissemination of Farmer-Preferred Cassava varieties Resistant to Pests and Diseases ............................................................................................................................. 8 7. G4008.26: A cassava breeding community of practice in Africa for accelerated production and dissemination of farmer-preferred cassava varieties resistant to pests and diseases ............................. 9 Legumes ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Beans .......................................................................................................................................................... 11 8. G3008.07: Basal root architecture and drought tolerance in common beans ...................................... 11 9. G4008.11. Dry bean improvement and marker assisted selection for diseases and abiotic stresses in Central America and the Caribbean ................................................................................................ 12 10. G6007.03/G6010.03: Improve common bean productivity for marginal environments in sub-Saharan Africa .............................................................................................................................. 15 11. G6007.03: Improve common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) productivity for marginal environments in sub-Saharan Africa ................................................................................................... 18 Capacity building: Beans ............................................................................................................................ 19 12. G4009.07.01 TL1 students for analysis of drought tolerance in common bean .................................. 19 Chickpeas ................................................................................................................................................... 21 13. G4008.12: Linking genetic diversity with phenotype for drought tolerance traits through molecular and physiological characterization of a diverse reference collection of chickpea .............. 21 14. G6007.04/G6010.04: Improve chickpea productivity for marginal environments in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia- Phase II ............................................................................................... 22 15. G7009.02: Mapping and validation of QTLs associated with drought tolerance traits in chickpea .... 23 16. G7009.06: Development of a SNP platform for molecular breeding in elite material of chickpea ..... 25 NO UPDATE SUBMITTED ............................................................................................................................. 25 17. G7010.06.01: Accelerating development of genomic resources and strengthening NARS partner capacities for enhancing adoption of molecular breeding for drought tolerance in chickpea ............. 26 Capacity building: Chickpeas ..................................................................................................................... 27 18. G4009.07.03: Marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) for drought tolerance in chickpea-students for analysis of drought tolerance in chickpea (TLI-Kenyan student) .................... 27 Cowpeas ..................................................................................................................................................... 29 19. G4008.13: Improving drought tolerance phenotyping in cowpea ....................................................... 29 20. G6007.02/G7009.05; G6010.02/G7010.07.01: Improving cowpea productivity for marginal environments in Africa ........................................................................................................................ 32 Capacity building: Cowpeas ....................................................................................................................... 34 21. G4009.07.02 Capacity-building in modern cowpea breeding ............................................................. 34 Groundnuts ................................................................................................................................................. 35 22. G4008.06: Single nucleotide polymorphism discovery, validation, and mapping in groundnut ......... 35 23. G6007.01/G6010.01: Improve groundnut productivity for marginal environments in sub-Saharan Africa .............................................................................................................................. 36 24. G6007.01: Improve groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L) productivity for marginal environments in sub-Saharan Africa .......................................................................................................................... 38 iii Capacity building: Groundnuts................................................................................................................... 40 25. G4009.07.04: Capacity-building à la carte 2009 – Ensuring ‘good’ and relevant phenotypic data to feed molecular breeders: the need for long-term training of scientists of NARS partners to TLI Objective 1 ............................................................................................................................... 40 Crosscutting activities: Legumes ................................................................................................................ 42 26. G6010.05: Cross-cutting crop activities (drought phenotyping, data management and capacity building) ................................................................................................................................ 42 Maize .................................................................................................................................................................. 45 27. G4008.33: Drought tolerance phenotyping of the GCP maize inbred line reference set ..................... 45 NO UPDATE SUBMITTED ............................................................................................................................. 45 28. G4008.56: Asian