Genetic variability, genotype × environment interaction and correlation analysis for grain iron and zinc contents in recombinant inbred line population of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L). R.Br.]

Published on Sep 01, 2020 02:55 AM

Micronutrient malnutrition is one of the major health
problems, especially iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies
that are widespread coupled with inadequate food supply
in the developing world. Pearl millet grains are a good source
of Fe and Zn elements making it a potential staple crop for
overcoming hidden-hunger and micronutrient deficiencies.
Breeding pearl millet with high levels of grain Zn and Fe
contents represents a major opportunity to enhance the
intake of these minerals for poor and malnourished people.
A precise understanding of the genetic variability,
correlation of mineral nutrients, genotype × environment
(G × E) interaction is important for developing improved
lines with high Fe and Zn content. To get fair estimates, we
used a bi-parental recombinant inbred lines (RIL) mapping
population representing F2 phenotypic variance. A total of
317 RILs were evaluated for grain iron and zinc content in
two seasons, Summer 2016 (E1) and Summer 2017 (E2).
The result from the analysis of variance exhibited a large
variability for grain Fe and Zn content across the two
environments. The G × E for high grain Fe were significant
at P < 0.01. The mean performance across the two
environments data for grain Fe ranged from 22.9 to 154.5
mg kg-1 (ppm) and Zn content ranged from 19.3 to 121 mg
kg-1. The correlation coefficient for grain Fe and Zn was 0.9,
and 0.8 and across the two (E1 and E2) environments. The
value of correlation coefficient (0.9) was found to be highly
significant at P < 0.01 level, that indicated good
opportunities for simultaneous genetic improvement of
both iron and zinc contents in pearl millet.

Keywords: Pearl millet, micronutrients, iron and zinc, recombinant inbred lines (RILs), genotype x environment (GxE) interaction

Info

Year: 2019
Volume: 79
Issue: 3
Article DOI: 10.31742/IJGPB.79.3.3
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906

Authors

Mahesh D. Mahendrakar, Sushil Kumar, Ram Baran Singh, Abhishek Rathore, Gopi Potupureddi, P. B. Kavi Kishor, Rajeev Gupta, Rakesh K. Srivastava

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