Safe transfer of millets germplasm

Contributors to this page: ICRISAT, Patancheru, India (RP Thakur, AG Girish, VP Rao).

The Plant Quarantine Laboratory (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India caters to the plant quarantine requirements of the ICRISAT scientific community with respect to the germplasm exchange of ICRISAT’s mandate crops: sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)], pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.], chickpea [Cicer arietinum (L.)], pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh], groundnut [Arachis hypogaea (L.)] and six small millets: finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.], foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.], little millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth.ex Roem. & Schult.), barnyard millet [Echinochloa crussgalli (L.) Beauv.], proso millet [Panicum miliaceum (L.)] and kodo millet [Paspalum scrobiculatum (L.)].

Indian plant quarantine regulations are legislated under the Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914 and the Plant Quarantine Order 2003 for the purpose of prohibiting and regulating the import of agricultural articles into India.

• Seed and plant material of these crops cannot be exported/ imported directly by the institute’s scientists.
• The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, is the plant quarantine authority responsible for ICRISAT’s germplasm exchange.

In 1985, NBPGR established a Regional Station at Rajendranagar, Hyderabad to implement the quarantine regulations in South India, to ensure safe movement of germplasm.

This page includes sections on:

• Import and export requirements.  
• Technical guidelines for the safe movement of germplasm and detection of relevant pathogens and pests. 
• Best practices in place at ICRISAT.

References and further reading

Ahmed KM, Ravinder Reddy Ch.1993. A Pictorial guide to the identification of seed borne fungi of sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut. Information Bulletin No. 34. Patancheru, A.P. 502 324 India: International Crops Research Institute for the semi-Arid Tropics. 200 pp.

Chakrabarty SK, Anitha K, Girish AG, Sarath Babu B, Prasada Rao RDVJ, Varaprasad KS, Khetarpal RK, Thakur RP. 2005. Germplasm exchange and quarantine of ICRISAT mandate crops. Information Bulletin No. 69. Rajendranagar 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India: National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources; and Patancheru 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics. 80pp.

Import/export of millets germplasm

Contributors to this page: ICRISAT, Patancheru, India (RP Thakur, AG Girish, VP Rao).

Exporting germplasm

The ICRISAT-PQL, in conjunction with NBPGR Regional Station, Hyderabad, conducts seed health tests on germplasm prior to export. The following export guidelines are to be followed before submitting seed material This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for export.

Guidelines

• Pre-export inspection of seed multiplication fields by NBPGR quarantine officials for seedborne diseases at various growth stages of the crop to avoid their spread.
• Collection of seed from fully mature and healthy plants.
• Cleaning seed to remove insects, pathogen propagules (smut sori, ergot sclerotia, and nematode cysts), weed seed, crop debris, soil clods, stones, other foreign material, and small, shrunken, discolored and damaged seed.
• Submission of an on-line request for export of germplasm (form available at ICRISAT intranet under GT-Crop Improvement).
• Submission of untreated seed in fresh muslin bags or paper packets along with the four-point declaration certificate (available at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for quarantine processing.
• Submission of the importing country’s plant photosanitary requirements, such as import permit, non-commercial value certificate, additional declaration for seed borne pathogens and pests, and any other specific regulations/requirements for millets are shown below:
  • Pearl millet
  • Small millets

Examples of seed export letters are given below:

• Seed export letter - air mail
• Seed export letter - courier

For more detailed information see the full text of the Plant Quarantine Guidelines and Procedures for Germplasm Exchange of ICRISAT Mandate Crops (ICRISAT, 2004).

Importing germplasm

Seed and plant material for research can only be imported into India after obtaining an Import Permit (IP). As per Schedule X of the Plant Quarantine Order, 2003, Director, NBPGR is empowered to issue import permits for all kinds of import of plant germplasm for public/private sector institutions in the country. An IP is also required to import live insects, all fungi in pure cultures, soil, or clay for microbiological studies or physical and chemical analyses. For each of these items, authorities designated by the Government of India issue the import permit. The consignee should abide by the following import guidelines.

Guidelines

• Submission of on-line request for import (form available at ICRISAT intranet under GT-Crop Improvement) of seed/plant/plant products/ other material) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Submission of the import application by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to the relevant import-issuing authority (see table below).

Competent authorities to issue various import permits

* After getting clearance from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT),
Block 2, 7th floor, C.G.O. Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110030

• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. provides the import permit to the consignee along with mailing labels, guidelines, and an advance notice form for onward transfer to the consignor.
• Advance notification of shipment by the consignor to the Director, NBPGR, New Delhi 110012, India with a copy to the Chief Plant Quarantine Officer, ICRISAT.
• (The consignor should use green-mailing labels bearing the address “Director, NBPGR, New Delhi 110 012”).
• Accompanied baggage import: Seed and plant material brought as accompanied baggage also requires an IP and PC. The international airports located at New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata are the points of entry for seed/plant samples brought into India as accompanied baggage. In such cases the seed samples should be handed over to the staff of the Plant Quarantine and Fumigation stations at the airport.

For more detailed information see the full text of the Plant Quarantine Guidelines and Procedures for Germplasm Exchange of ICRISAT Mandate Crops (ICRISAT, 2004).

References and further reading

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). 2004. Plant Quarantine Guidelines and Procedures for Germplasm Exchange of ICRISAT Mandate Crops. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India; National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, India; International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India.

Guidelines (millets)

Contributors to this page: ICRISAT, Patancheru, India (RP Thakur, AG Girish, VP Rao).

Technical Guidelines for the Safe Transfer of Germplasm and the
Protection of CGIAR Germplasm Banks
Pathogens of quarantine significance of millets tested by the Germplasm Health Laboratory of ICRISAT

Finger millet [Eleusine coracana L.]

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

Bacteria - finger millet

Contributors to this page: ICRISAT, Patancheru, India (RP Thakur, AG Girish, VP Rao).

Brown spot; Bacterial brown spot

Scientific name

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae.

Other scientific names

Pseudomonas syringae pv. japonica

Importance

High

Significance

The disease is very important throughout the world where finger millet is grown.

Symptoms

Symptoms first appear on the lower surface of the leaves as small, water-soaked spots. The spots enlarge, coalesce, and form larger areas that later become necrotic. The bacteria also enter the vascular tissues of the leaf and spread into the stem. The infected area, which is surrounded by a narrow zone of bright, lemon yellow tissue, turns brown, becomes rapidly necrotic, and through coalescence of several small spots, may produce large dead areas of various shapes. The disease produces identical symptoms on the stems, pods and seeds. In addition, light-cream or silver bacterial exudates are often produced on the lesions under moist conditions.

Hosts

Multilateral hosts like graminacious and leguminacious plants.

Geographic distribution

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae is worldwide in distribution.
Distribution of Pseudomonas syringae pathovars into twenty-three O serogroups [online].

Biology and transmission.

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae is a rod shaped, gram-negative with polar flagella. It tests negative for arginine dihydrolase and oxidase activity, and forms the polymer levan on sucrose nutrient agar. It is known to secrete the lipodepsinonapeptide plant toxin syringomycin, and it owes its yellow fluorescent appearance when cultured in vitro on King's B medium to production of the siderophore pyoverdin (Goszczynska and Serfontein 1998). Pathogen is seed borne and spreads through the infected seed from season to season (Gaudet and Kokko 1986; Venette et al. 1987).

Detection/indexing methods at ICRISAT

• Pre-export field inspection and agar plate method are used.

Treatment/control

• No suitable seed treatment to eradicate infection

Procedures followed in case of positive test at ICRISAT

• So far not detected at ICRISAT.

References and further reading

Duveiller E, Rudolph K, Fucikovsky L. (eds.). 1997. The Bacterial Diseases of Wheat: Concepts and Methods of Disease Management, Mexico, D.F.: CIMMYT, 78p.

Gaudet DA, Kokko EG. 1986. Seedling disease of sorghum grown in southern Alberta caused by seed borne Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 8: 208-217.

Goszczynska T, Serfontein JJ. 1998. Milk-Tween agar, a semi selective medium for isolation and differentiation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli. Journal of Microbiological Methods 32: 65-72.

Mew TW, Misra JK. (eds.). 1994. A Manual of Rice Seed Health Testing. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Manila, Philippines, 113pp.

Venette JR, Lampa RS, Albaugh DA, Nayes JB. 1987. Presumptive procedure (dome test) for detection of seed borne bacterial pathogens in dry beans. Plant Disease 71: 984-990.

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Bacterial streak

Scientific name

Xanthomonas vasicola pv. holcicola Elliott.

Other scientific names

Bacterium holcicola, Phytomonas holcicola, Pseudomonas holcicola, Xanthomonas campestris pv. holcicola, Xanthomonas holcicola

Importance to CGIAR centers

High

Significance

Bacterial streak is of minor importance on finger millet.

Symptoms

Symptoms caused by the pathogen are narrow, water-soaked, transparent leaf streaks, 2-3 mm wide by 2-15 mm long, appearing as early as the second leaf stage of the seedling. Lesions soon turn red, become opaque, and at intervals may broaden into somewhat irregularly shaped oval spots with tan centers and narrow red margins. In severe attacks, lesions coalesce to form long irregular streaks and blotches extending across all or much of the leaf blade, with dead tissue bordered by narrow, dark margins between the reddish-brown streaks. Abundant bacterial exudate is produced as light-yellow droplets, which dry to thin white or cream scales (Williams et al. 1978).

Hosts

Panicum miliaceum (millet), Setaria italica (foxtail millet), Sorghum halepense (aleppo grass), Sorghum sudanense (Sudan grass) and Sorghum bicolor (common sorghum).

Geographic distribution

Worldwide

Biology and transmission

Soilborne and infected plant debris transmit the bacteria. Seed transmission of the pathogen is not known so far.

Detection/indexing methods at ICRISAT 

• Pre-export field inspection.

Treatment/control

• No seed treatment.

Procedures followed in case of positive test at ICRISAT

• So far not detected.

References and further reading

Williams RJ, Frederiksen RA, Girard JC. 1978. Sorghum and Pearl Millet Disease Identification Handbook. Information Bulletin No. 2. ICRISAT, Patancheru 502324, AP, India. 51pp.

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Bacterial leaf streak

Scientific name

Xanthomonas campestris (Pammel) Dowson

Other scientific names

Xanthomonas pennisiti, Xanthomonas annamalaiensis, Xanthomonas rubrisorghi.

Importance to CGIAR centers

High

Significance

Bacterial leaf streak is of minor importance.

Symptoms

Initial symptoms are narrow, water-soaked, transparent leaf streaks; 2-3 mm wide by 2-15 mm long generally appear from second leaf stage of the seedlings. Lesions soon turn red, become opaque, and at intervals may broaden into somewhat irregularly shaped oval spots with tan centers and narrow red margins. In severe attacks, these coalesce to form long irregular streaks extending across the leaf blade. Abundant bacterial exudates are produced as light-yellow droplets, which dry to thin white or cream scales (Williams et al. 1978).

Hosts

Pearl millet and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum).

Geographic distribution

It is reported from Nigeria and Senegal.

Biology and transmission

Bacterial colonies are yellow and mucoid on the nutrient agar medium. Bacterial cells are aerobic, motile, gram-negative, rod-shaped which differ pathologically, serologically, and by membrane protein patterns from other pathovars of X. campestris. Cells measure 0.45 ´ 2.25 mm and have one polar flagellum. Optimal growth occurs between 26 and 30 ^oC (Rangaswami et al. 1961).

Detection/indexing methods at ICRISAT

• Pre-export field inspection and agar plate method are used.

Treatment/control

• No seed treatment is available.

Procedures followed in case of positive test at ICRISAT

• So far not detected.

References and further reading

Rangaswami G, Prasad NN, Eswaran KSS. 1961. Two new bacterial diseases of sorghum. Andhra Agricultural Journal 8:269-272.

Williams RJ, Frederiksen RA, Girard JC. 1978. Sorghum and Pearl Millet Disease Identification Handbook. Information Bulletin No. 2. ICRISAT, Patancheru 502324, AP, India. 88pp.

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