ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

advancement. These 352 progenies along with 90 progenies (F 4 ) coming from rainy season 2005 evaluation were
evaluated during the 2006 rainy season. Of these, 105 were selected based on the visual assessment of spike length
and agronomic score for further evaluation. About 90 of these flowered in 56−65 days with panicle length ranging
between 24 and 83 cm, while 11 progenies flowered in 51−55 days with panicle length ranging from 32 to 48 cm
(check NCd 2 flowered in 54 days and had panicle length of 41 cm). There were 13 progenies that had 60−83 cm
panicle length.
With the objective of getting good tillering, compact panicles with good exsertion and large seed in long panicle
progenies, a crossing program was undertaken during the 2005 summer season. Nine long panicle dwarf progenies (F 4 -
F 6 ) were used as female parents and crossed with 17 restorer progenies (F 4 -F 9 ) possessing desirable traits with respect
to panicle compactness, good exsertion and tillering. The resulting 124 crosses were evaluated in hybrid observation
nursery during the 2005 rainy season, of which 74 were selected based on visual assessment for agronomic traits. Out
of 74 F 2 s produced, five F 2 s derived from F 1 s with compact panicles were evaluated in 50-row plots each during the
2005 summer season (all flowering in 55−60 days). Based on visual assessment for agronomic performance, single
plant selections were made in four F 2 s to generate 260 F 3 progenies for further advancement. Apart from these, another
12 F 2 s derived from F 1 s with compact panicles were evaluated in 10-row plot each during the 2006 rainy season, of
which four flowered in 51−55 days and eight in 56−60 days (check NCd 2 flowered in 53 days). Single plant selections
were made in all F 2 s to generate 170 F 3 progenies for further advancement.
Grain color: The consumer preference for white grain color in pearl millet stills remains to be ascertained, though the
flour of such grains is presumed to be more acceptable for blending with wheat flour. Excellent sources of white seed
color are available in the germplasm, but these are highly photosensitive and have small grains. A recent low-key
initiative to introgress this color in the elite and adapted genetic backgrounds led to the production and evaluation of
110 progenies, most of which were late, flowering in more than 65 days. Sixteen progenies were selected (two of these
flowering in 51−60 days), primarily based on white grain color, that produced 32 F 4 progenies, which will be further
evaluated for selecting those stable for enhanced levels of white grain color.
KN Rai and HD Upadhyaya
Milestone 5A.2.1.2: Genetically diverse trait-specific (eg., large seed, large panicle size, diverse maturity and
height) advanced breeding lines developed and disseminated (KNR/RB/RPT/RS, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
Trait-specific seed parent progenies: High grain yield and high levels of DM resistance are common denominators
for developing improved breeding lines of pearl millet at ICRISAT. Apart from this, users of this improved
germplasm both in the public and the private sector hybrid breeding programs lay considerable emphasis in selecting
lines with specific traits, including plant types of the parental lines of some of the commercial hybrids. Thus,
improved breeding lines, mostly those at the later stages of the inbreeding, are classified and evaluated in traitspecific
nurseries for easy and more focused evaluation, and selection for further utilization. These trait-specific
nurseries are continually updated with the new materials generated almost every year.
Early-maturing progenies: We evaluated 430 advanced generation progenies (S 8 /F 8 /F 10 ), of which 226 were
selected based on visual assessment of agronomic traits and yield potential. Of these, 72 progenies flowered in 41−
45 days and 145 progenies flowered in 46−55 days (checks 843B flowered in 45 days and 842B in 46 days). About
45 progenies were screened against Durgapura pathotype under high disease pressure in the glasshouse (susceptible
checks 842B and 843B had 100% DM incidence), of which 17 progenies had