Smut severity of pearl millet hybrids with male sterile and fertile cytoplasm

Abstract

Effect of A1 male sterile cytoplasm on smut severity in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) was studied by comparing 35 pairs of F1 hybrids, each pair carrying male sterile and normal cytoplasm. Mean smut severity was not significantly different in the hybrids carrying male sterile or normal cytoplasm. This suggests that in pearl millet male sterile cytoplasm is not associated with higher smut susceptibility. Partitioning of variance into different components showed that pollinators, A/B line pairs and their interaction primarily influenced smut severity of hybrids. Smut susceptibility might be attributed to effects of cytoplasm × nuclear interactions.