Exploitation of pearl millet germplasm for identification of low grain phytate containing parental lines

Abstract

The present study was carried out to identify low grain phytate containing pearl millet parental lines amongst advanced inbred lines and designated B-line (counterpart of CMS lines) . A total number of 92 lines (46 each of inbreds and designated B line) were grown in a randomized block design with two replications during kharif-2013 and 33 selected (14 inbreds and 19 designated B-lines) from kharif-2013 were grown in kharif-2014 as well. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences between the tested genotypes during both the seasons. the phytate content varied from 4.45 to 6.80 mg/g and 1.31 to 6.19 mg/g during kharif-2013 in advanced inbred lines and designated B-lines respectively. Almost similar results were observed during kharif-2014, except the like with 1.31 mg/g phytate content during kharif-2013 was not stable and in kharif -2014, the phytate content for this line was 6.87 mg/g. Since none of the genotype screened showed low phytate content, therefore a large number of breeding lines are needed to be tested to know their genetic potential for low phytate.