Improvement of restorer lines for strengthening pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) hybrid breeding in West and Central Africa

Abstract

Little information was available on the genetics of pearl millet restorers available in West and Central Africa. Hence, diallel analysis was carried out using six parents and 30 F1’s, to identify the nature of gene action, and improve the restorer gene pool. The genotype ICMR 157004 is early flowering with high biomass yield. The cross ICMX 1770192 (2.19 t/ha) ICMX 1770197 (2.14 t/ha) and ICMX 1770193 (2.08 t/ha) exhibited high grain yield with early days to 50% flowering and medium plant height. Grain Fe content is positively associated with grain Zn content (r = 0.93**) but exhibited negative association with other agronomic traits indicating proper care should be taken for breeding these traits. Mean sum of squares for panicle circumference, grain yield and biomass yield exhibited significant probabilities for the maternal effects indicating the influence of maternal factors in inheritance of these traits. The estimates of narrow sense heritability for days to 50% flowering, panicle length, plant height, panicle circumference, biomass yield and grain Fe and Zn content was high indicating the predominance of additive gene action in inheritance of these traits. ICMX 1770193, ICMX 1770194, ICMX 1770197, ICMX 1770204 and ICMX 1770208 exhibited significant negative sca effects for days to 50% flowering. Positive and significant sca effects for grain Fe and Zn contents were expressed by crosses ICMX 1770197, and ICMX 1770204. Identified genotypes with good GCA and crosses with good SCA, were useful in improving the restorer lines of pearl millet to promote the hybrid pearl millet breeding in West and Central Africa.