ICRISAT joins hands with BGI to conduct study on genomics

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has signed a MoU with the Beijing-based world's largest genomics organisation to conduct joint research on applied genomics and molecular breeding.

The collaboration with Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) primarily aims to enhance precision of breeding programmes for semi-arid tropics crops by using the next generation sequencing technologies toward crop improvement for sustainable food production, particularly in the dry lands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, a ICRSAT statement said.

The understanding was yesterday signed by Dr William D Dar, Director General of ICRISAT and Dr Gengyun Zhang, Vice President of BGI at Beijing in China. The two organisations agreed to enhance their collaboration in agricultural research for development, especially in the genome sequencing and analysis of ICRISAT mandate crops, namely chickpea, finger millet, groundnut, pearl millet, pigeonpea and sorghum besides in capacity building.

ICRISAT and BGI, along with several organisations from the US and Europe, have just completed the de novo genome sequencing of pigeonpea, commonly known as the "poor people's meat," which was published in international journal 'Nature Biotechnology' last year, the statement said.

The release quoting Dr Dar said that "the signing of this agreement with BGI is significant in accelerating our crop improvement efforts towards improving the livelihood of poor people in the semi-arid tropics of the world".