Genetic variation in drought response of landraces of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.)

    Yadav, O P and Weltzien, E and Bidinger, F R (2003) Genetic variation in drought response of landraces of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.). Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 63 (1). pp. 37-40.

    [img]
    Preview
    		 PDF
    Download (348kB) | Preview

    Abstract

    Crop landraces are considered as a good germplasm source for adaptation to prevalent stress conditions. In this study, 105 landraces of pearl millet (P. glaucum) were evaluated under drought stress and optimum (non-stress) conditions to elucidate their response to drought and to identify the traits that are associated with drought tolerance/escape. The landraces differed significantly for flowering time, yield-contributing traits and yielding ability under stress and non-stress conditions. There was a wide range in the drought response index (-8.5 to 13.9) among the landraces and it accounted for 73% of variation in grain yield obtained under stress conditions. The yielding ability of the landraces depended upon different traits in the presence and absence of drought stress, emphasizing manipulations of different traits for enhancing yield under stress and non-stress conditions. Higher panicle number and greater biomass accumulation proved to be the target traits for improving grain yield under stress but not for enhancing yield under non-stress conditions. Higher individual grain mass was associated with drought escape, while higher grain number per panicle and harvest index were associated with drought tolerance. Fifteen landraces having high degree of drought tolerance were identified for use in developing drought tolerant cultivars.

    Item Type: Article
    Divisions: UNSPECIFIED
    CRP: UNSPECIFIED
    Subjects: Mandate crops > Millets
    Depositing User: Library ICRISAT
    Date Deposited: 12 Sep 2011 09:05
    Last Modified: 01 Jan 2014 09:26
    URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/1378
    Official URL:
    Projects: UNSPECIFIED
    Funders: UNSPECIFIED
    Acknowledgement: UNSPECIFIED
    Links:
    View Statistics

    Actions (login required)

    View Item View Item
    OAR@ICRISAT is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.