Assessment of phenotypic diversity in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] germplasm of Indian origin and identification of trait-specific germplasm

Abstract

Evaluation of genetic diversity within germplasm collections and identification of trait-specific germplasm is a basic requirement for plant breeders. A total of 221 Indian pearl millet collections from the National Genebank were characterised and evaluated for 27 agro-morphological descriptors. Considerable variation was observed for all characters. Frequency distribution analysis showed predominance of cylindrical and compact spike, grey seeds, earliness (less than 40 days to spike emergence). Hierarchical clustering method was used for classifying 221 pearl millet accessions based on agronomic and disease resistance traits, which resulted into three clusters. Clusters 1, 2 and 3 comprised 91, 54 and 76 accessions respectively. There was high correspondence between the geographic collection sites of accessions and their inclusion in particular clusters. In addition, principal component analysis was used for data reduction and generating biplot. First four principal components explained 66.43% of total variability. Among the traits analysed, plant height, nodes/plant, days to spike emergence, number of tillers, leaf width and leaf length are major contributor towards phenotypic diversity. Further the trait-specific germplasm were identified for agronomic traits, disease resistance, popping and antioxidants activity, namely for earliness (IC343664, IC343689, IC343661, IC309064), spike girth (IC283693, IC283842, IC367638), dual purpose with high grain and fodder yield (IC283705, IC283745, IC283885 and IC335901 and so on). Four accessions of pearl millet germplasm viz., IC309064, IC393365, IC306465 and IC283866, were observed as multiple disease resistant. This study suggested that application of appropriate techniques and their interpretations provide more efficient way to identify potential accessions and improve the utilisation of germplasm collections in plant breeding.

Identification of new sources of resistance for pearl millet downy mildew disease under field conditions

“…The genotypes were ranked into three clusters, which mainly contrasted in term of DM incidence, severity and plant height. This finding is consistent with Kumari et al (2016) who also classified 221 Indian pearl millet accessions into three clusters based on agronomic and DM resistance traits. Six lines which belong to cluster I were ranked by Gemenet et al (2014) as among the 15 best inbred lines under low P conditions.…”

Contribution of Additive and Dominance Effects on Agronomical and Nutritional Traits, and Multivariate Selection on Urochloa spp. Hybrids

“…Multivariate selection in forages is intended to select commercial ideotypes or to characterize germplasm banks, as previously described in P. maximum (Martuscello et al, 2015), Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. (Kumari et al, 2017), U. humidicola (Assis et al, 2014), and U. brizantha (Olivera et al, 2014). In a multivariate analysis involving principal components, it is possible to identify groups of crosses that present desirable commercial standards in progenies (Beheshtizadeh et al, 2013;Legesse et al, 2013).…”

Agronomic performance of improved pearl millet cultivars in southern Chad

“…Pearl millet (2n = 2x = 14) belongs to a highly heterozygous group that contains both wild and cultivated forms (Hancock, 1992). It is one of the most important staple cereals for subsistence farmers living in semiarid tropics of Africa and Asia., due to its high tolerance to drought, high temperatures, saline and marginal soils, and high capacity to buffer variable environmental conditions (Haussmann et al, 2012;2016;Das, 2017). Approximately, 500 million people depend on pearl millet and it is currently grown on 28 million hectares throughout the world (Siddaiah et al, 2017).…”

“…Approximately, 500 million people depend on pearl millet and it is currently grown on 28 million hectares throughout the world (Siddaiah et al, 2017). It is cultivated in diverse environments with harsh climate, frequent drought events and poor soil fertility where other cereal crops generally fail (Kumari et al, 2016;Sangwan et al, 2019). Pearl millet production is also hampered by several biotic constraints such the Millet Head Miner (Heliocheilus albipunctella De Joannis) and Downy mildew disease caused by Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc) Schroët (Halilou et al, 2017 ;Zoclanclounon et al, 2018 ;Kadri et al, 2019 ;Oumarou et al, 2020).…”