Abiotic Stresses Tolerance and Nutrients Contents in Groundnut, Pearl Millet and Sorghum Mini Core Germplasm for Food and Nutrition Security

Abstract

Groundnut, pearl millet and sorghum germplasm were investigated to identify new sources of tolerance to low phosphorus (LP) and/or drought stress (WS) and to assess genotypic variation for iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents. Experiments were conducted in lysimetre conditions in a randomized completely block design with 5 replications, 2 water and 2 phosphorus treatments. Genotypic variability was observed for morphoagronomic and nutrients traits investigated. Groundnut accessions ICG 3312, ICG 11855, ICG 10053, ICG 15232 and ICG 11088 revealed drought tolerant. The combined WS-LP effect (73%) was higher than individual WS (68%) and LP (49%) effects. LP signifi cantly delayed heading and fl owering dates, accessions IP1060, IP11405 and IP9000 (millet), and ISS1412, ISS2167, ISS376 and ISS738 (sorghum) showed less delay and LP tolerance. Fe and Zn contents under LP showed that accessions IP17775, IP5581, IP5153, IP1060, IP6517 and IP5438 of millet; ISS376, ISS1412, ISS2167, ISS242, ISS311 and ISS2151 of sorghum revealed high Fe and/or Zn concentrations