Genetic analysis of grain quality characters and grain yield in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

摘要

Pearl millet is a staple food for a large number of people in drier regions of Africa and Asia. Although the progress had been made for increased yield in pearl millet, attention should be paid on improvement of nutritional quality characters with reduced anti-nutritional compound. In the present study, estimation of grain quality characters was carried out in pearl millet grains which included nutritional quality characters viz., starch, crude protein, crude fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc and an anti-nutritional compound called phytate phosphorus. Genetic analysis of grain quality characters and grain yield of pearl millet were carried out following Line x Tester genetic mating design in order to assess the combining ability of parents and hybrids and to understand the nature of gene action. Analysis of variance exhibited significant differences for all grain quality characters and grain yield of pearl millet. In the present study, non-additive gene action was found to be significant in the expression of all the recorded characters in pearl millet. This indicated that recurrent selection would be more appropriate breeding method for the improvement of these characters. None of the parents as well as hybrids was found to be significant for all grain quality characters and grain yield in pearl millet.