Recent advances in genetics, genomics, and breeding for nutritional quality in groundnut

Authors: PARMAR, SEJAL - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; SHARMA, VINAY - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; DEEKSHITHA, BOMIREDDY - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; SONI, POOJA - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; JOSHI, PUSHPESH - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; GANGURDE, SUNIL - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; WANG, JIANPING - University Of Florida; BERA, SANDIP - Icar-Indian Institute Of Maize Research; BHAT, RAMESH - University Of Agricultural Sciences; DESMAE, HAILE - Kazusa Dna Research Institute; SHIRASAWA, KENTA - Kazusa Dna Research Institute; Guo, Baozhu; VARSHNEY, RAJEEV - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India; PANDEY, MANISH - International Crops Research Institute For Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) - India

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2021
Publication Date: 1/6/2022
Citation: Parmar, S., Sharma, V., Deekshitha, B., Soni, P., Joshi, P., Gangurde, S.S., Wang, J., Bera, S.K., Bhat, R.S., Desmae, H., Shirasawa, K., Guo, B., Varshney, R.K., Pandey, M.K. 2022. Recent advances in genetics, genomics, and breeding for nutritional quality in groundnut. In Gosal, S.S., Wani, S.H., editors. Accelerated Plant Breeding. Volume 4. New York, NY: Springer Nature. p. 111-137. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81107-5_4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81107-5_4

Interpretive Summary: Peanut is widely grown in semi-arid regions, the tropics and subtropics in Asia, Africa, and Americas. Peanut is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds, where malnutrition is alarming, due to its high contents in protein and oil. Conventional breeding approaches helped in breeding several high oleic varieties across the world but not much emphasis has been paid for other nutritional compounds. The peanut crop has potential to deliver high nutrition-rich products to the consumers which not only will help in addressing the issue of malnutrition, but in providing health and nutrition products to consumers. Next generation genomics improvement approaches should be explored for breeding more nutritious peanut cultivars. Understanding on nutritious traits through precise phenotyping and genome sequencing will help in identification and discovery of genes regulating the nutrition-rich traits. Genomics-assisted breeding will accelerate the process of developing nutrition-rich peanut cultivars; however, identification of genes and associated markers are needed information. This chapter presents the status on breeding, genetics, and genomics on nutritional traits in addition to disease resistance.

Technical Abstract: Groundnut is an essential oilseed legume, cultivated in Asia, Africa and Americas. It is referred to as the ‘poor person’s almond/protein’ which serves essential amino acids and nutrients required for good health. Besides its health benefits, it is affordable, easily cultivated in semi-arid tropics and the idea of further enrichment of micro-nutrient and protein content may help in resolving the issue of hidden hunger specially in Asian and African countries. Even the world health organization has recommended the use of high protein ready to use therapeutic food product, PlumpyNut, from groundnut. The availability of high oleic groundnut further provides opportunity for consumers to have affordable cooking oil with comparable quality benefits to olive oil. The current emphasis on varietal development is yield and oil content in addition to disease resistance, which should now also put emphasis in developing nutrition-rich groundnut varieties. Genomics-assisted breeding can accelerate the process of developing nutrition-rich groundnut; however, identification of genes and associated markers are the prerequisite genomic information. This chapter presents the status on breeding, genetics, and genomics studies on nutritional traits in addition to some successful examples, such as high oleic varieties wherein the marker application helped in breeding high oleic varieties faster and with more precision.