Development of High-yielding dwarf composites of pearl millet

Abstract

Dwarf versions of 7 morphologically diverse tall pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) composites (recurrent parents) were developed by limited backcrossing of a d2 dwarfing gene from an elite dwarf population, GAM73, developed in Senegal. Yield trials of the 7 pairs of tall and dwarf composites, and GAM73, were conducted for 2 years at Patancheru and Bhavanisaga, India. Time to 50% flowering was the only character to show interaction with the environment. The tall and dwarf versions of the pairs differed significantly for all characters. All dwarf composites outyielded GAM73 (2140 kg/ha) and their tall counterparts, the best yielding 2860 and 2750 kg/ha. Plant height was positively correlated with yield in the dwarf, but not the tall, composites. Optimum dwarfing height was concluded to be from 122 to 124 cm, i.e. tall-dwarfs. It is suggested that the d2 gene can be effectively utilized in the breeding of dwarf pearl millet populations without a significant reduction in grain yield