Identification of Bio-fortified high zinc and iron containing lines of lentil for alleviation of malnutrition 1

N K Yadav,2 ,A.Sarker5, S P Srivastava,2 B Adhikari,3 DN Pokhrel3, JB Sah3, BP Chaudhary 2 and BP Wagle 4

AbstractEighteen genotypes of rich Fe & Zn containing lines were planted during 2005/06 at NGLRP Rampur, RARS Parwanipur and Nepalgunj while during 2006/07 it was also planted at NORP Nawalpur to select high yielding, disease resistant lines with high Fe & Zn in the seed. During 2005/06 all the genotypes produced poor yield although highest yield was produced by ILL 2716 (761 kg/ha) followed by RL-6 (716 kg\ha) while during 06/07 the highest yield was produced by Shital ( 916 kg/ha) followed by ILL 2716 ( 839 kg/ha) Pooled mean over the year and location indicated that highest yield of 806 kg/ha was recorded by Shital followed by ILL 2716 ( 800 kg/ha). The Fe & Zn contents in the seed were found up to 109 and 66 mgs/kg in the genotype RL- 12 respectively, where as the lowest content of iron 91 mg Fe/kg seed was observed in the tested variety Shital, ILL7723, and Khajura-2 and the lowest content of zinc was recorded in RL-4, RL-13, ILL 3768 and ILL6467 and ILL7715 (57 mg/kg seed)

Introduction The goal of the proposed program is to improve the health of poor people by breeding staple food crops that are rich in micronutrients, a process referred to here as “biofortification.” The Biofortification Challenge Program seeks to bring the full potential of agricultural and nutrition science to bear on the persistent problem of micronutrient malnutrition. Micronutrient malnutrition, primarily the result of diets poor in bio available vitamins and minerals, affects more than half of the world’s population, especially women and pre school children. The costs of these deficiencies in terms of lives lost, for gone economic growth, and poor quality of life are staggering. To reach the Millennium Development Goal’s target of halving the proportion of undernourished people by 2015, new technologies and approaches are needed to help address the problemBio-fortification of lentil under harvest plus challenge program of CGIAR was initiated in Nepal through NGLRP at different locations like Rampur, Parwanipur and Nepalgunj Nutritional security for the poorer section of the society is as much a problem as food security in Nepal. Malnutrition and diseases associated with poor intake of micronutrients is common among Nepalese farmers. This has resulted in negative effect on the ability of farmers to carryout farm operations efficiently.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Paper presented in 27th National Winter Crop workshop held at NARI hall Khumaltar,Kathmandu on 10-12 September,20082 Senior scientists, AGD, Khumaltar ARS,Parwanipur, and NORP,Nawalpur respectively3 Technical Officers,NGLRP,Rampur and,Parwanipur 4 Technician NGLRP,Rampur5 Sr. Lentil Breeder, ICARDA,Syria

Research carried out in India and elsewhere has indicated that the availability and consumption of food grains high in micronutrients have greater role to play for addressing the problems of nutrient deficiency/ malnutrition among the masses. The development of High Zn rice variety is being conceived as a noble idea by IRRI. Micronutrients have become limiting factors for the production of grain legumes. The intake of pulses with lower levels of micronutrients would lead to micronutrient deficiency and related diseases in humans. Therefore, identification and selection of varieties efficient in the uptake of micronutrients is suggested as a noble approach to address the problem of nutrient deficiency in humans. Malnutrition as a result of consumption of food grains with low content of micronutrients is a serious problem in developing countries including Nepal. The identification, selection and recommendation of lentil varieties with high micronutrient contents would result in the reduction of malnutrition prevalent among the poor farmers. Resource poor farmers are the primary beneficiaries of this project.

Breeding for nutritional quality is a new research thrust of International lentil improvement program. In the past, lentil improvement at National and International levels was specially confined to quantitative terms (seed, biomass). To improve the nutritional status of its consumers, it is essential to develop micronutrient dense varieties. The most important micronutrients, which can be improved through breeding, are the iron and Zinc. Zinc, Iron, Calcium are the important micronutrient elements essential for human health, growth and development. Iron deficiency continues to be the most prevalent micronutrient disorder worldwide. Nearly 3.5 billion people in the developing world may be affected. Asia has the highest prevalence of anemia, the serious form of iron deficiency (ACC/SCN 2001). Women of reproductive age and children are most severely affected. It was reported that dehulled lentil seed contain calcium (68 mg/100 g seed), phosphorus (300 mg/100 g seed) and Iron (7 mg/100 g seed). It is also rich in Vitamin C and riboflavin. Food based approach a new dimension to alleviate iron deficiency are long term oriented.

ObjectiveTo develop and select the cultivars having high level of micronutrient especially Zinc (Zn) and Iron content in the seed.

Materials and Methods-

Forty-five lentil genotypes were tested at Rampur, Nepalgunj and Paramour during2004/05 and 2005/06 to identify high micronutrient content lentil lines. While during 2006/07 only seventeen genotypes identified as high in micronutrients were tested with one local check at four places. These trials were planted in RCBD with 3 replications in 4-meter row length. Row to row spacing was 25 cm. and plant-to-plant continuous. Data on Days to maturity, pods per plant, seeds per pod, 1000seed weight and Grain yield kg /ha were recorded.Nutrient analysis was done in Beirut, Lebanon by Dr. Anwar Agha, Regional Manager of ICARDA,Syria

Results and discussion-

During 2004/05, 45 different lines were planted at NGLRP,Rampur,RARS,Parwanipur and RARS,Nepalgung. Combined analysis of Days to flowering days to maturity, pods per plant,seeds per pod ,grain yield kg per ha and thousands seed weight were done. ANOVA showed significant differences among the tested location and tested genotypes for all the parameters analyzed. Grain yield of the tested lines over locations indicated that genotype Shital (981 kg/ha), ILL 7723(938 kg/ha) and ILL7163 (923 kg/ha) were found high yielder than the other tested varieties. While considering into the location specific, different genotypes performed inconsistency in terms of yield components. At Parwanipur, the genotypes ILL 7163, RL-5 and RL 13 were better performers than the check while at Rampur, ICARDA lines ILL4139, ILL7723 and ILL7543 overwhelmed than the released lines (Table-1) During 2005/06 poor yield performance at all three tested sites were recorded (Table-2)During 2006/07 eighteen genotypes were tested at NGLRP, Rampur, RARS, Parwanipur and RAAS, Nepalgunj (Table-3). At RARS Nepalgunj significant differences among the genotypes were recorded. Highest grain yield of 953kg ha was produced by Shital followed by RL-6(853kg/ha) At Rampur genotypes ILL 7164 (1275 kg/ha), R2-4 (1142 kg/ha), ILL 2716 (1133 kg/ha), ILL 7715 (1095 kg/ha), ILL 3111 (1038 kg/ha) produced significantly higher grain yield than check Simal (613 kg/ha).At Parwanipur non significant difference among the genotypes were recorded.Pooled mean of location indicated that location is significant.Nepalgunj (953kg/ha) produced higher mean yield than Rampur (905kg/ha) and Parwanipur (475kg/ha).On the basis of two years data and micronutrient analysis done in Beirut 17 genotypes have been found high in zinc and iron i.e. ILL-2716,ILl-3111,RL-12,RL-11,RL-6,RL-4,ILL-3768,RL-13,RL-9,ILL-7715,ILL-6447,ILL-7164,ILL-2580,ILL-7723,Sisir,Khajura-1,Khajura-2.(Table-4). The Fe & Zn contents in the seed were found up to 109 and 66 mgs/kg in the genotype RL- 12 respectively, where as the lowest content of iron 91 mg Fe/kg seed was observed in the tested variety Shital, ILL7723, and Khajura-2 and the lowest content of zinc was recorded in RL-4, RL-13, ILL 3768 and ILL6467 and ILL7715 (57 mg/kg seed)

Conclusion

Out of 45 genotypes tested at 3 environments of Nepal out of that seventeen genotypes were found dense in iron and Zink. The Fe & Zn contents in the seed were found up to 109 and 66 mgs/kg in the genotype RL- 12 respectively, where as the lowest content of iron 91 mg Fe/kg seed was observed in the tested variety Shital, ILL7723, and Khajura-2 and the lowest content of zinc was recorded in RL-4, RL-13, ILL 3768 and ILL6467 and ILL7715 (57 mg/kg seed)

Acknowledgement

We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. P.L.Karna, Executive Director and Dr. D..P. sherchan, Director, Crops and Horticulture Research, NARC for providing valuable suggestion and excellent support. Authors are grateful to Mr R.N. Chaudhary, Coordinator, NORP Nawalpur, Mr. M.L.sah, Director, RARS, Parwanipur for providing the facilities and management to conduct the experiment. We are indebted to Dr. Asutosh Serkar, Lentil Breeders of ICARDA for providing technical support and breeding materials for successful implementation of the program. We are also indebted to Dr. Siddique, Director and Dr. Francis, Deputy Director, CLIMA for providing the financial support to conduct the program. Lastly, not least all the supporting staffs are also thankful for their assistance to conduct these experiments successfully.

References.

Bouis, H. 1996. Enrichment of food staples through plant breeding: A new strategy for fightingmicronutrient malnutrition. Nutrition Reviews 54(5): 131-137.

Erskine, W. (1983) Relationship between the yield of seed and straw in lentil. Field crops Res, 7, 115-121.

Graham, R.D. and Welch, R.M. 1996. Breeding for staple food crops with high mic ronutrient density.Agricultural Strategies for Micronutrients. Working Paper 3. pp. 1-72. Washington, D.C.: InternationalFood Policy Research Institute

Hamdi, A., W. Erskine and P. Gates (1991) Relationship among economic character in lentil. Euphytica.57, 109-116.

MOAC, 2006. Statistical information on Nepalese Agriculture 2005/06. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operative. Business promotion and agriculture statistics division, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Yadav N.K,R Srestha,R.K.Neupane,S.Joshi (2007) Lentil Research and Development in Nepal.

Paper presented in International Traveling Workshop held at Dhaka, Bangldesh, 12 to

19 February 2007.

Table: 1 Days to maturity and Grain yield at different locations in Bio-fortification trial, 2004/05.

SN Name

Parwanipur Nepalgunj Rampur Mean

DM Yield DM Yield DMYiel

d DM Yield1 ILL-2716 128 750 130 708 125 737 128 7322 Ill-3111 129 750 128 625 124 510 127 6284 RL-12 131 650 129 558 127 550 129 5865 RL-11 133 467 134 333 129 340 132 38010 RL-6 133 808 131 292 129 369 131 49011 RL-4 129 750 133 775 125 369 129 63113 ILL-3768 132 792 131 683 126 663 130 71314 RL-13 133 1092 132 508 127 578 131 72615 RL-9 133 692 133 475 131 595 132 58721 ILL-7715 131 1075 129 750 127 714 129 84626 ILL-6447 130 1017 128 742 126 496 128 75229 ILL-7164 132 575 132 892 128 284 131 58435 Shital 131 932 132 1183 123 828 129 98138 ILL-7723 135 858 134 850 132 1105 134 93839 Simal 129 825 127 800 124 830 127 81841 Sisir 130 800 125 667 123 567 126 67843 Khajura-1 131 900 128 742 124 799 128 81444 Khajura-2 130 1017 126 617 123 743 126 792

Mean 131 804 130 704 126 686 129 731CV 0.62 22.37 1.95 21.23 1.71 24.2

9   

F test ** ** ** ** ** Ns      LSD(.05) 0.8 179 2.53 149 2.1      

Table: 2 Days to maturity and Grain yield(Kg/ha) at different locations in Bio-fortification trial, 2005/06.

SN Name

Parwanipur Nepalgunj Rampur Mean

DM Yield DM Yield DM Yield DM Yield1 ILL-2716 120 662 112 683 114 708 115 6842 Ill-3111 121 665 114 917 113 558 116 7134 RL-12 123 700 111 567 114 383 116 5505 RL-11 124 649 118 575 117 217 86 48010 RL-6 124 640 114 508 114 167 117 43811 RL-4 122 757 114 933 113 458 116 71613 ILL-3768 124 670 114 792 112 625 117 69614 RL-13 125 538 117 575 113 308 118 47415 RL-9 125 637 116 575 118 167 120 46021 ILL-7715 122 745 112 892 113 383 116 67326 ILL-6447 122 697 113 825 114 592 116 70529 ILL-7164 124 660 114 792 113 433 117 62835 Shital 124 718 112 983 114 383 117 695

38 ILL-7723 123 597 116 708 114 275 118 52739 Simal 121 663 111 767 113 442 115 62441 Sisir 121 718 112 767 113 483 115 65643 Khajura-1 124 663 111 708 114 292 116 55444 Khajura-2 123 722 112 658 114 458 116 613

Mean 123 672 114 735 108 407 115 605CV 16.2  18.4  14.3  12.6  12.8  9.6  6.9   F test ns  S  S  S  ns  S     LSD   130  6  230    250     

Table: 3 Days to maturity and Grain yield at different locations in Bio-fortification trial 2006/07.

Grain Yield (Kg/ha)

En  Name   RARSP  RARSN  NGLRP  Mean1 ILL2716 475 1103 1133 9042 ILL3111 608 1104 1038 9173 ILL3768 508 946 850 7684 ILLl6467 425 1045 1142 8715 ILL7164 658 1092 1275 10086 ILL7715 492 1103 1092 8967 ILL7723 383 889 792 6888 RL-4 817 958 1142 9729 RL-6 492 843 850 72810 RL-9 225 710 692 54211 RL11 283 678 879 61312 RL12 425 700 625 58313 RL13 225 818 563 53514 Shital 492 1623 883 99915 Sishir 467 753 929 716

16Khajura-

1 350 917 933 733

17Khajura-

2 458 846 854 71918 Simal 775 1022 613 803  Mean 475 953 905 778

  CV 24.2  16.5  15.6     F test ns  S  S     LSD   320  230   

Table: 4 Grain yield and Micronutrient content in Bio-fortification trial during, 2004/05, 2005/06 and2006/07.

En Name Micronutrient contents Grain yield kg /ha

Fe(mg/kg)

Zn(mg/kg) 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 Mean

1 ILL2716 97 58 732 684 904 7732 ILL3111 93 60 628 713 917 7533 ILL3768 90 57 586 550 768 6354 ILLl6467 94 57 380 480 871 5775 ILL7164 93 58 490 438 1008 6456 ILL7715 94 57 631 716 896 7487 ILL7723 91 59 713 696 688 6998 RL-4 92 57 726 474 972 7249 RL-6 103 64 587 460 728 592

10 RL-9 102 58 846 673 542 68711 RL11 92 63 752 705 613 69012 RL12 109 66 584 628 583 59813 RL13 101 57 981 695 535 73714 Shital 91 59 938 527 999 82115 Sishir 98 64 818 624 716 71916 Khajura-1 94 59 678 656 733 68917 Khajura-2 91 58 814 554 719 69618 Simal     792 613 803 736

 Mean/range  91-

10957-66  731 605 778

  CV     18.6 17.5 20.5    F test     S ns S    LSD     160 118