No abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn]) is a vital component in the farming systems of many parts of Uganda with limited information on variability, heritability and trait association in the country. The objective of this study was to assess the variability, heritability and trait association of finger millet to determine the genetic potential for future use in breeding programmes. A total of 100 accessions were evaluated for morpho-agronomic characters in a 10 x 10 lattice design at NaSARRI and Ikulwe in Uganda for two seasons. Analysis of variance revealed mean squares of the genotypes were significant for all the traits, with days to 50% flowering showing the least coefficient of variation and the highest leaf blast severity. Heritability estimates ranged from 7.39% for threshing percentage to 68.4% for head blast severity; whereas values of expected genetic advance varied from 2.00 to 79.9% for threshing percentage and head blast severity, respectively. High heritability and genetic advance estimates were exhibited for head blast severity, head blast incidence, productive tillers plant-1 and grain yield. When the significant correlations were decomposed by path analysis, it revealed that, in determining yield, the most important traits were grain mass head-1 , tillering ability and reaction to head blast disease. Overall the result revealed existence of high variability for the traits studied in the finger millet accessions which can be utilised in genetic improvement.

The use of multiple traits for drought study affirms the complexity of drought tolerance in cowpea. Despite the availability of several traits for drought tolerance evaluation, the rapid screening technique used by many scientists for seedling drought in wooden boxes is the simplest method for screening large populations. The objective of this study was to select drought tolerant cowpea recombinant lines developed from a drought tolerant and susceptible parent using the wooden box screening technique. Two hundred Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILS) an F 2 : 6 generation were used for the study. The parents were drought tolerant line crossed with susceptible line. Screening was done in wooden boxes and plants stressed for 4 weeks and in two sessions. Leaf wilting, relative water content, chlorophyll content during stress, and recovery from drought data were taken. Results from this study showed significant differences (p < 0.05) for relative chlorophyll content for the 4 weeks of water stress and relative water content taken on the second week of water stress for all 200 inbred lines, but no significant differences were observed for the parental checks. Relative water contents taken for RILS during water-stress ranged between 70-20% for drought tolerant and drought susceptible lines respectively. The parental lines used as checks both had relative water contents of 60%. Relative water content for the second experiment ranged between 74-22% for tolerant and susceptible RILS respectively. About 12 inbred lines consistently performed well for recovery, 13 RILS were susceptible. RILS that maintained a higher relative water and chlorophyll contents, with high proportion of survived seedlings were 11. Potential seedling drought tolerant RILS have been identified.

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is an important food and cash crop for many people living in the semi arid areas of Uganda. But information about the common diseases and their effect on yield is lacking yet it is important in designing a realistic and focused pearl millet breeding programme aimed at increasing yield. A disease survey was done in 2012 in the farmers' fields in the predominantly pearl millet growing districts of Kumi and Katakwi in eastern and Kitgum and Lamwo in northern Uganda to identify the major diseases of pearl millet and establish their incidence, severity correlation and effect on grain yield. The aim of the study therefore was to identify the major pearl millet diseases that affect production in Uganda. In terms of incidence, rust (Puccinia substriata) (73.58%) was the most frequent disease followed by ergot (Claviceps fusiformis) (62.98%), then leaf blast (Pyricularia grisea) (61.25%) and smut (Moesziomyces penicillariae) (26.76%). However, in terms of severity, leaf blast (62.20%) was the most severe followed by rust (43.33%), ergot (29.46%) and smut (14.18%). Using SPSSv20, backward model reduction regression of disease parameters against grain yield, results show disease severities of rust, ergot, leaf blast and incidences of smut and rust were the most important in affecting grain yield. The correlation of disease severity with grain yield further indicated that ergot and rust severities were causes of the significant effect on yield.