Phenotypic Diversity and Molecular diversity of Finger Millet Composite Collection and Identification of Trait Specific Germplasm for Use in Crop Improvement

Bharathi A

doi:10.29321/maj.10.000459

Abstract

A composite collection of finger millet consisting of 1000 accessions representing the diversity of the entire germplasm at ICRISAT gene bank was developed, including 622 accessions of ICRISAT core collection. Phenotyping of the composite collection for 15 quantitative traits and 20 SSR markers genotyping data resulted in the identification of promising traitspecific accessions. Principal component analysis with seven components indicated relative importance of the traits (days to 50 % flowering, plant height, peduncle length, ear head length, and panicle exertion) to total divergence. Clustering analysis grouped biological races into three clusters wherein cultivated races vulgaris, plana, elongata, and compacta were grouped in Cluster I and wild races spontanea in Cluster II and africana in Cluster III. Accessions were identified as useful for important traits such as early flowering (34), high grain yield (38), fodder yield (19); more fingers (29); basal tiller number (25) and ear head length (28).

Highlights

At present 55 to 60 per cent of the finger millet crop is grown in Southern and Central Africa, and most of the remaining areproduced in India and Nepal
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has estimated that 10 % of the area under millets is with finger millet. , The global area under finger millet, is 3.38 million hectares with aproduction of 3.76 million tonnes
By evaluating the global finger millet composite collection in a different environment, the traitspecific accessions were identified, which would serve as new sources of variation in finger millet crop improvement

Summary

Introduction

Precise data of area and production under finger millet is not known because the production statistics of this crop has often been clubbed with other millets. At present 55 to 60 per cent of the finger millet crop is grown in Southern and Central Africa, and most of the remaining areproduced in India and Nepal. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has estimated that 10 % of the area under millets is with finger millet. The global area under finger millet, is 3.38 million hectares with aproduction of 3.76 million tonnes. Finger millet was domesticated about 5000 years ago in Eastern Africa (possibly Ethiopia) and introduced into India 3000 years ago. The closest wild relative of finger millet is E. coracana subsp. The closest wild relative of finger millet is E. coracana subsp. africana, which is a native of Africa

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Results

Conclusion