Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding
Growing environments of pearl millet [Penn/setum glaucum
(L.) R. Sr.] in the Indian arid zone are quite heterogeneous
both in terms of environmental stresses and farming
system needs. In this paper we described main target
environments for pearl millet breeding programs within
the arid zone, and then attempted to identify male-sterile
(A) lines for developing suitable landrace-based topcross
hybrids (TCHs) and conventional hybrids for the identified
target environments. Target environments were defined
as extreme stress, moderate stress and favourable
environments based on the available environmental
resources for, and limitations to, crop production in each
target zone. TCHs based on 39 A-lines were clustered
into five clusters for grain, stover and biomass yields,
yield stability, responsiveness to environment, downy
mildew and drought resistance and several other
variables. The suitability of individual A-lines for different
target environments was judged by their ability to produce
TCHs with the adaptive traits considered as most important
for each target environment. None of the A-lines produced
hybrids that were equally well-adapted to all the three
types of environments; most of the A-lines produced
hybrids that showed a contrasting adaptation pattern to
the different target environments. The A-lines ICMA 93111,
ICMA 94555, ICMA 95111, HMS 9A and CZMS 44A produced
highly stable dual purpose hybrids; and 842A, ICMA 95444,
ICMA 97111, ICMA 97444 and 843A grain hybrids that
were suitable for extreme stress environments. Hybrids
made with ICMA 97333, ICMA 93111, ICMA 95555, ICMA
96333, 842A, ICMA 91444 and ICMA 92666 were suitable
for moderate stress environments in that they proved
high yielding, moderately stable and responsive hybrids
to better environments. On the other hand, hybrids based
on 5054A, ICMA 88006, ICMA 95222, ICMA 92333, ICMA
92444, ICMA 94555 and ICMA 97333, ICMA 96222, ICMA
97111, ICMA 91444 and ICMA 95444 were identified as
most desirable for favourable environments. Utilisation of
A-lines and their respective maintainers has been
discussed for developing suitable hybrids and new parental
lines of hybrids for arid zones.
Keywords: Pearl millet. Penniseturn glauGurn, adaptation, breeding. abiotic stress tolerance, disease resistance, male-sterile lines
Year: 2003
Volume: 63
Issue: 2
Article DOI: NA
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
o. P. Yadav F. R. Bidinger and M. M. Sharma info_circle
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