Over 90 scientists from both public and private sectors came together to explore 15,000 unique breeding lines of pearl millet during the biennial Pearl Millet Scientists’ Field Day, held on October 3-4, 2024, at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Participants from India, Japan, Brazil, and the U.S. selected breeding materials aimed at developing varieties with traits like higher yields and resistance to various challenges. Key innovations discussed included biofortified forage and multi-cut summer pearl millet.
In his opening speech, Dr. Stanford Blade, ICRISAT’s Deputy Director General for Research, welcomed everyone and talked about the growing recognition of millet as a "smart food," especially after the increased attention it received during the International Year of Millets (IYoM) 2023.
“This is a unique group. It’s great to see public and private sectors working together. While we come from different organizations with various interests, we share a common goal: to develop new varieties that will improve lives and livelihoods,” Dr. Blade said, emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
The two-day event was led by Dr. Sean Mayes, ICRISAT’s Global Research Program Director for Accelerated Crop Improvement, chaired the event, alongside Dr. T. Napolean, Principal Scientist at the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), who represented IIMR Director Dr. Tara Satyavathi.
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