Performance of landraces and hybrids of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] under good management in the arid zone

Bidinger, F.R. and Sharma, M.M. and Yadav, O.P. (2008) Performance of landraces and hybrids of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] under good management in the arid zone. Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 68 (2). pp. 145-148.

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Abstract

The limited adoption of modern pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) hybrids in the arid zone of western Rajasthan has been attributed to the lack of hybrids with sufficient adaptation to this zone, a conclusion based largely on the on-farm performance of hybrids under traditional management systems. The objective of this research was to determine if this conclusion is also true under improved management conditions. This study compared six recommended hybrids and six traditional landraces in 16 environments created through a combination of locations and years over five crop seasons. Across all environments the average grain yield ranged from 439 kg ha–1 to 3200 kg ha–1. The mean grain yield of the landraces was similar to that of the hybrids but the landraces provided significantly higher biomass and stover yield. Only above a mean trial grain yield of 2000 kg ha–1 the hybrids outyielded the landraces for grain productivity. These results confirm that even under well managed, but rainfed, arid zone environments, current hybrids offer farmers little advantage over their traditional landraces.

Item Type: Article
Author Affiliation: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru 502 324
Subjects: Plant Production > Production Practices
Crop Improvement > Genetics/Genomics
Crop Improvement > Plant Breeding
Divisions: Millet
Depositing User: Mr T L Gautham
Date Deposited: 28 Nov 2010 20:49
Last Modified: 29 Dec 2010 20:19
Official URL: http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijo...
URI: http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/747

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