Owere, L. and Tongoona, P. and Derera, J. and Wanyera, N.
(2016)
Combining Ability Analysis of Blast Disease Resistance and
Agronomic Traits in Finger Millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn].
Journal of Agricultural Science, 8 (11).
pp. 138-146.
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Abstract
Blast disease is the most important biotic constraint to finger millet production. Therefore disease resistant
varieties are required. However, there is limited information on combining ability for resistance and indeed other
agronomic traits of the germplasm in Uganda. This study was carried out to estimate the combining ability and
gene effects controlling blast disease resistance and selected agronomic traits in finger millet. Thirty six crosses
were generated from a 9 × 9 half diallel mating design. The seed from the 36 F1 crosses were advanced by
selfing and the F2 families and their parents were evaluated in three replications. General combining ability
(GCA) for head blast resistance and the other agronomic traits were all highly significant (p ≤ 0.01), whereas
specific combining ability (SCA) was highly significant for all traits except grain yield and grain mass head-1.
On partitioning the mean sum of squares, the GCA values ranged from 31.65% to 53.05% for head blast
incidence and severity respectively, and 36.18% to 77.22% for the other agronomic traits measured. Additive
gene effects were found to be predominant for head blast severity, days to 50% flowering, grain yield, number of
productive tillers plant-1, grain mass head-1, plant height and panicle length. Non-additive gene action was
predominant for number of fingers head-1, finger width and panicle width. The parents which contributed
towards high yield were Seremi 2, Achaki, Otunduru, Bulo and Amumwari. Generally, highly significant additive
gene action implied that progress would be made through selection whereas non-additive gene action could slow
selection progress and indicated selection in the later generations.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Combining ability, Finger millet, Grain yield, Gene action, Head blast disease |
| Author Affiliation: |
African Centre for Crop Improvement, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of
Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, Republic of
South Africa |
| Subjects: |
Plant Protection |
| Divisions: |
Millet |
| Depositing User: |
Mr B Krishnamurthy
|
| Date Deposited: |
22 Nov 2016 06:19 |
| Last Modified: |
22 Nov 2016 06:19 |
| Official URL: |
http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jas.v8n11p138 |
| URI: |
http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/14602 |
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