Breeding dual-purpose pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) for north-western India: understanding association of biomass and phenotypic traits

Abstract

A study was conducted during 2006–08 to investigate the relationship between biomass and various phenotypic traits to breed dual-purpose pearl millet for arid regions of north-western India. The study material included 39 pearl millet genotypes evaluated for three seasons under arid zone environments. Plant type had significant role in determining grain yield performance under drought-prone arid environments. Both early flowering and high tillering had a significant advantage over late flowering and low tillering material. Biomass and harvest index had significant influence on both grain and stover yield though nature and degree of association varied considerably. Biomass had positive influence on both grain and stover yield while higher harvest index had positive effect on grain yield but negative effect on stover yield. Longer panicle had adverse impact on grain yield in spite of fact that longer panicles had significantly higher number of grains primarily because genotypes with larger panicles had significantly reduced tillering. Results suggested that producing smaller but many panicles is much more important than producing a few larger panicles. Significant variation existed for tillering, flowering time, grain and stover yields, biomass and harvest index indicating that there existed a good opportunity to select for a combinations of these traits. A balanced selection for improved biomass and harvest index is necessary for improving both grain and stover yields in pearl millet targeted for arid zone of northwestern India.