ICRISAT and Partners Discover New Gene for Sterility Mosaic Disease Resistance in Pigeonpea
ICRISAT researchers, together with IIPR-Uttar Pradesh, RPCAU-Bihar, and IARI-Assam, have successfully identified a gene that is linked to Sterility Mosaic Disease (SMD) resistance: 'Ccsmd04'
Indian farmers can lose as much as 90% of their pigeonpea yield because of sterility mosaic disease. In a recently published study, a team of researchers led by Dr Manish K. Pandey, Principal Scientist-Genomics, Pre-breeding & Bioinformatics, ICRISAT, along with ICAR partners—Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR, Uttar Pradesh), Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU, Bihar), and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI Assam)—has identified a resistance gene, Ccsmd04, that is linked to Sterility Mosaic Disease resistance.
Using advanced genomics, phenomics, and high-powered computational analysis, the team discovered Ccsmd04 in ‘Asha’ (ICPL 87119), a widely cultivated, ICRISAT-bred pigeonpea variety resistant to SMD. The gene provides a high level of resistance to SMD and offers new hope for achieving greater sustainable pigeonpea production in India and across Asia.
“This is a landmark discovery by ICRISAT and ICAR researchers, considering the severity of SMD in the region. The identified genetic variants, genes and markers hold immense potential for breeding more resistant pigeonpea varieties,” said Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICRISAT.
ICRISAT has been working on host-plant resistance to SMD since 1975. While several resistant varieties have been identified and developed, in-field success has been limited due to the variability in both the virus and its vector, which are mites. This new discovery sheds light on the genomic aspects of SMD resistance in pigeonpea.
“We deeply value our longstanding partnership with ICAR and the support from CGIAR and the Gates Foundation for this work. ICRISAT’s genomics and pre-breeding program focuses on integrating genomic insights into the breeding pipeline, and disease resistance remains a top priority given its direct impact on farmer livelihoods and the environment,” said Dr Stanford Blade, Deputy Director General – Research and Innovation, ICRISAT.
This study uses reference genomes of two popular varieties, “Asha” and “Maruti”, resistant and susceptible to SMD, respectively, along with selected samples from a genetic population showing extreme traits. The study found that SMD resistance in plants is controlled by the ccsmd04 gene, which produces a dormancy/auxin-associated protein, and the comparison identified four frameshift mutations in the susceptible lines affecting the function of the dormancy/auxin associated protein.
“We’ve identified a resistance gene and validated four functional InDel markers associated with SMD resistance; these markers can now be used to screen pigeonpea breeding progenies for early generation selection of SMD resistance. This gene information can also be valuable for genetic improvement through gene editing,” said Dr Manish K. Pandey.
The team is set to explore more resistance genes, including those from wild relatives, to ensure stable resistance in farmers' fields. Through strong partnerships and collaboration, they aim to accelerate the varietal development process for SMD resistance in pigeonpea lines with greater precision and speed. This effort will play a key role in advancing India’s goal of self-sufficiency in pulses.
This work aligns with SDGs 12, 13, & 17.
Parkavi Kumar
Related Article:
