Pearl Millet Genotypes Research Articles

Comparative Metabolomics to Unravel the Biochemical Mechanism Associated with Rancidity in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Despite being a highly nutritious and resilient cereal, pearl millet is not popular among consumers and food industries due to the short shelf-life of flour attributed to rapid rancidity development. The biochemical mechanism underlying rancidity, a complex and quantitative trait, needs to be better understood. The present study aims to elucidate the differential accumulation of metabolites in pearl millet that impact the rancidity process. Metabolite profiling was conducted on ten pearl millet genotypes with varying levels of rancidity—comprising high, low, and medium rancid genotypes—utilizing liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) at different accelerated ageing conditions. Through non-targeted metabolomic analysis, crucial metabolites associated with rancidity were identified across various biochemical pathways, including fatty acids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, glycerol lipids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Notably, metabolites such as fatty aldehydes, fatty alcohols, fatty esters, fatty acyls, fatty esters, and fatty amides were significantly elevated in high rancid genotypes, indicating their involvement in the rancidity process. These fatty acids-related metabolites further break down into saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Four key fatty acids—stearic, palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acid—were quantified in the ten pearl millet genotypes, confirming their role in rancidity development. This investigation promises novel insights into utilizing metabolomics to understand the biochemical processes and facilitate precision breeding for developing low-rancidity pearl millet lines.

Delineation of Selection Criterion Using Correlation and Path Analysis in Forage Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) in North Gujarat Condition

Knowledge of genetic and phenotypic association among economic traits helps plant breeders in outlying efficient breeding strategies for development of high yielding forage pearl millet variety. An experiment was conducted at the research farm of Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat to evaluate plant characteristics associated with green forage yield and its attributes in forage pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] genotypes in north Gujarat condition through correlation and path analyses during 2023. Twelve independent and 1 dependent variables were evaluated for the character association analysis of the 30 forage pearl millet genotypes. The evaluation was performed in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Data collection was done from 5 randomly selected plants and this data was used for analysis using R Studio. The green forage yield per plant had positive and significant correlation with plant height, number of tiller per plant, stem thickness, leaf length, leaf width, and dry fodder yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level. Path analysis revealed the importance of leaf width and dry fodder yield per plant by showing high and positive direct effects towards green forage yield per plant. These characters also exhibited significant and positive association with green forage yield per plant at the genotypic and phenotypic. Hence, these traits could be considered as the vital component characters for development of high yielding genotypes in forage pearl millet.

Exploration of the pearl millet phospholipase gene family to identify potential candidates for grain quality traits

BackgroundPhospholipases constitute a diverse category of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of phospholipids. Their involvement in signal transduction with a pivotal role in plant development and stress responses is well documented.ResultsIn the present investigation, a thorough genome-wide analysis revealed that the pearl millet genome contains at least 44 phospholipase genes distributed across its 7 chromosomes, with chromosome one harbouring the highest number of these genes. The synteny analysis suggested a close genetic relationship of pearl millet phospholipases with that of foxtail millet and sorghum. All identified genes were examined to unravel their gene structures, protein attributes, cis-regulatory elements, and expression patterns in two pearl millet genotypes contrasting for rancidity. All the phospholipases have a high alpha-helix content and distorted regions within the predicted secondary structures. Moreover, many of these enzymes possess binding sites for both metal and non-metal ligands. Additionally, the putative promoter regions associated with these genes exhibit multiple copies of cis-elements specifically responsive to biotic and abiotic stress factors and signaling molecules. The transcriptional profiling of 44 phospholipase genes in two genotypes contrasting for rancidity across six key tissues during pearl millet growth revealed a predominant expression in grains, followed by seed coat and endosperm. Specifically, the genes PgPLD-alpha1-1, PgPLD-alpha1-5, PgPLD-delta1-7a, PgPLA1-II-1a, and PgPLD-delta1-2a exhibited notable expression in grains of both the genotypes while showing negligible expression in the other five tissues. The sequence alignment of putative promoters revealed several variations including SNPs and InDels. These variations resulted in modifications to the corresponding cis-acting elements, forming distinct transcription factor binding sites suggesting the transcriptional-level regulation for these five genes in pearl millet.ConclusionsThe current study utilized a genome-wide computational analysis to characterize the phospholipase gene family in pearl millet. A comprehensive expression profile of 44 phospholipases led to the identification of five grain-specific candidates. This underscores a potential role for at least these five genes in grain quality traits including the regulation of rancidity in pearl millet. Therefore, this study marks the first exploration highlighting the possible impact of phospholipases towards enhancing agronomic traits in pearl millet.

Multi-Locational Evaluation of Forage-Suited Selected Sudan Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] Accessions Identified High-Yielding and Stable Genotypes in Irrigated, Arid Environments

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a subtropical grain and forage crop. It is privileged with several desirable forage attributes. Nevertheless, research on pearl millet is limited, especially as a forage crop, in developing countries. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the field performance and stability of pearl millet genotypes for forage yield across seven environments. The study was conducted in seven environments (combination of locations and seasons) during the 2016/2017–2018/2019 seasons. Twenty-five pearl millet genotypes, selected based on forage yield from a core collection of 200 accessions, were arranged in an alpha lattice design with three replications. The parameters measured were fresh forage yield, days to flowering, plant height, number of culms m−2, leaf-to-stem ratio, and stem girth. The combined analysis revealed that environments, genotypes, and their interaction had significant effects on all traits studied except the genotypic effect on stem girth. Across the seven environments, four genotypes (G14, G01, G12, and G22) outyielded the check genotype in fresh matter yield by 20.7, 16.5, 11.0 and 9.8%, respectively. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis showed that the genotype, environment, and their interaction were highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) for fresh matter yield. The results of AMMI stability values (ASVs) and the genotype selection index (GSI) combined with the AMMI estimate-based selection showed that genotypes G14, G22 and G01 were the most stable and adapted genotypes and were superior to the check genotype. These results indicate that forage pearl millet varieties could be developed directly through evaluating the wealth of available collections or indirectly through hybridization in crop breeding programs.

Analysis of Pearl Millet's G x E Interaction with the Proposed New Index

Developing cultivars that are stable in a variety of conditions has been a problem for plant breeders. The environment can have an impact on a cultivar's phenotypic performance, or different environments can have different effects on different cultivars. Variance resulting from a combination of an individual's genetic composition and the environment in which they were raised is referred to as the genotype-environment interaction. Reducing genotype-environment interaction through breeding stable genotypes facilitates selection of stable, high-yielding genotypes. In multi-environment cultivar trials, AMMI and GGE biplot analyses are frequently utilized to explain G×E interactions. In order to assess breeding material effectively, India's pearl millet agriculture has been split into three main zones, A1, A, and B, based on climatic circumstances. Using AMMI and GGE biplot analysis, the current study assessed the G×E interaction in pearl millet genotypes from Zone-B in India. Based on normalized grain yield and ASV indices, a new weighted index (WI) has been developed to assess stable and high-yielding genotypes. For this zone, the three interaction principal component axes (IPCA1, IPCA2, and IPCA3) have been found to be important. The indices YSI and WI have been used to identify both the high-yield and most stable genotypes, while the AMMI Stability Value (ASV) and Stability Index have been used to find the most stable genotypes. Based on WI, the genotypes G24 and G13 have been identified stable and high yielding genotypes for zone-B.

Exploring genetic diversity and trait associations with foliar blast disease among parental lines in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R Br

Thirty-seven pearl millet genotypes were evaluated for morphometric traits and disease incidence and severity during summer and kharif, 2022. Pooled ANOVA revealed significant variation were present in all genotypes across different season. Association studies identified high positive correlations between grain yield and traits such as single earhead weight, single ear head threshed weight, and test weight, with direct and indirect effects on grain yield through key characters. E2 (kharif – 2022) showed favourable conducive weather parameters for disease infection throughout the growing season compared to E1. The higher PCV relative to GCV for disease incidence underscores the environmental influence in disease resistance programs. Negative correlations between disease metrics and yield traits highlight blast disease’s detrimental effect on grain yield. Disease severity indirectly suggests environmental factors may enhance its impact. Disease incidence exhibited a direct negative impact on yield, supported by negative genotypic correlations. The line, PT 6679, exhibit both high yield and highly resistant to blast. Restorer lines (PT 6029, PT 6067, PT 6300, PT 6707, PT 7068) and B lines (ICMB 01666, ICMB 02777) showed promising yield attributes with high to moderate disease resistant for future breeding programs. In D2 analysis, five clusters revealed distinct genetic diversity with Clusters II and V indicating strong hybrid vigor, while Clusters IV (PT 6946, ICMB 06111) and V (ICMB 93111, ICMB 95444) excelled in disease resistance. Clusters I (PT 6029, PT 7068) and II (GMR 58) exhibited superior grain yield, particularly Cluster I, had potential restorer lines for future breeding. Clear differentiation between B and R lines underscored genetic distinctions in trait expression, validating the use of morphological data for assessing genetic diversity.

Screening pearl millet genotypes for resistance to Striga hermonthica and compatibility to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br., 2n = 2x = 14) is a nutritionally rich and climate-resilient food crop cultivated globally. It is a crucial staple crop in Burkina Faso and the dry Sahel region, encompassing Niger, Mali, and Senegal. However, the yield of pearl millet is relatively low in the region (<0.85 tons ha−1) due to Striga hermonthica (Sh) infestation, bird damage, insect pests, diseases, and low-yielding open-pollinated landrace varieties. The study aimed to screen genetically diverse pearl millet accessions for Sh resistance and compatibility to a Striga bio-control agent, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Strigae (FOS), to select contrasting and promising parents for resistance breeding and production. One hundred and fifty genotypes were evaluated in Sh hotspot fields in the rain-fed and greenhouse conditions using an alpha lattice design and two replications in Burkina Faso. Significant differences were recorded among the tested pearl millet genotypes for the assessed agro-morphological and Striga resistance. Days to flowering was significantly delayed in the assessed genotypes due to Sh infestation. Applying FOS on pearl millet seed significantly reduced the mean Striga number in Sh-infested conditions. The following genotypes: IP-3098, IP-6112, IP-9242, IP-10579, and IP-11358 were identified as exhibiting Sh resistance and were compatible to FOS. The pearl millet genotypes supported few to none Sh emerged plants with comparatively low values under the Striga number progress curve. The selected genotypes are useful parents to breed for Striga resistance and integrated management in Burkina Faso and related agroecologies.

Transpiration efficiency variations in the pearl millet reference collection PMiGAP.

Transpiration efficiency (TE), the biomass produced per unit of water transpired, is a key trait for crop performance under limited water. As water becomes scarce, increasing TE would contribute to increase crop drought tolerance. This study is a first step to explore pearl millet genotypic variability for TE on a large and representative diversity panel. We analyzed TE on 537 pearl millet genotypes, including inbred lines, test-cross hybrids, and hybrids bred for different agroecological zones. Three lysimeter trials were conducted in 2012, 2013 and 2015, to assess TE both under well-watered and terminal-water stress conditions. We recorded grain yield to assess its relationship with TE. Up to two-fold variation for TE was observed over the accessions used. Mean TE varied between inbred and testcross hybrids, across years and was slightly higher under water stress. TE also differed among hybrids developed for three agroecological zones, being higher in hybrids bred for the wetter zone, underlining the importance of selecting germplasm according to the target area. Environmental conditions triggered large Genotype x Environment (GxE) interactions, although TE showed some high heritability. Transpiration efficiency was the second contributor to grain yield after harvest index, highlighting the importance of integrating it into pearl millet breeding programs. Future research on TE in pearl millet should focus (i) on investigating the causes of its plasticity i.e. the GxE interaction (ii) on studying its genetic basis and its association with other important physiological traits.

Elucidation of Genetic Variability and Trait Association in Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. BR.] Genotypes

Pearl millet, a major millet crop contributing 50 per cent to global millet production, is vital for the food and nutritional security of over 90 million people. Adapted to arid and semi-arid regions in Africa and Asia, it serves as a crucial resource for the less affluent. The crop’s enhancement is essential for the well-being of both farmers and consumers, relying on exploiting existing genetic variability. This study evaluates 25 restorer lines and six maintainer lines, revealing high to moderate estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficient variations for yield contributing traits. The observed high heritability and genetic advance suggest additive gene action, making selection rewarding for all traits. Notably, plant height, number of productive tillers, panicle length, and 1000 grain weight are significantly correlated with single plant yield. Among these, plant height, number of productive tillers, and panicle length exhibit a high direct positive effect, making them valuable for selecting high-yielding pearl millet genotypes.

Towards Striga-resistant Gene pool in Nigerian Pearl millet landraces

Parasitism of crop plants by Striga species is a major constraint in the savannah zones of West Africa. A germplasm collection comprised of 240 accessions of pearl millet was screened under natural Striga hermonthica infestation to identify sources of Striga resistance. Data were collected at different time points, specifically at 70, 90 and 140 days after planting for Striga count, Striga vigour and Striga severity. Number of panicles, panicle weight and Grain yield were also measured. The results revealed significant variation in the resistance of pearl millet genotypes to Striga. Fifteen genotypes identified as the most resistant were free of emerged Striga shoots, 10 genotypes supported 14 Striga shoots but with appreciable yield and 15 genotypes with 1-4 Striga shoots and low grain yield. Principal Component and cluster analyses grouped these genotypes into 3 main clusters medium yielding tolerant to Striga, low yielding susceptible to Striga and medium to high yielding resistant to Striga. The high level of resistance observed in some breeding lines enabled the selection of suitable parents for population development.

Effect of different degrees of decortication on pearl millet flour shelf life, iron and zinc content

Grain decortication is used commercially to extend the shelf life of pearl millet flour over the world. This is the first study in pearl millet to assess the effects of various degrees of decortication on the rancidity developing parameters and provide insight for its commercial application. Present study is evaluating the impact of different degree of decortication on the shelf life of pearl millet flour and percent loss of micronutrients abundant (iron and zinc) in pearl millet. Eight pearl millet genotypes belong to low, medium and high rancid category were subjected to three different level of decortication. On the basis of percent weight loss by decortication, up to 1–3% was designated as low (LD), 3.1–6% as medium (MD) and 6.1 to 10% as high (HD) level of decortication. Analysis of rancidity measuring parameters revealed that only LD is effective in improving the shelf life of pearl millet flour by reducing the lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and lipid oxidation as compared to control sample and also the loss of essential micronutrient due to decortication was minimal. As the degree of decortication increases, at MD and HD level, the lipid oxidation rate increases through non enzymatic method and also the loss of essential micronutrients was observed to be high. To conclude, LD is an effective approach for regulating the rancidity and improving the shelf life of pearl millet flour.

English

Pearl millet can be cultivated in a wide range of soil types under tropical and sub-tropical warm climates. The lack of improved cultivars and non-judicious use of phosphatic fertilizers are among the major reasons for low productivity of pearl millet. The farmers usually apply nitrogen (N); however, do not apply phosphorus (P) fertilizer to pearl millet grown as fodder, which significantly reduces fodder yield. It is assumed that P application can improve fodder yield of pearl millet. Therefore, this two-year (2020 and 2021) field study tested different pearl millet genotypes (i.e., ‘MP-24’, ‘YBS-70’, ‘YBS-86’, ‘YBS-93’, ‘YBS-95’, ‘YBS-98’, ‘18-BY’, ‘14-RS-05’, ‘55-S-85’, and ‘16-RBS-10’) for their fodder production with P fertilization (90 kg ha-1) and no P application (control). Phosphorus application significantly improved growth, fodder yield (24%), P uptake and P use efficiency (PUE) of all tested genotypes with significant differences among genotypes. The genotype ‘YBS-70’ produced the highest fodder yield with P application due to notable expansion in entire growth-related traits along with higher P uptake, P use efficiency (PUE), and net economic returns. The P application to genotype ‘YBS-70’ improved net economic returns (130% and 151% during 2020 and 2021, respectively) and benefit:cost ratio (59% and 61% during 2020 and 2021, respectively) during both years. It is concluded that fodder yield, PUE and profitability of millet may be improved by P application coupled with a suitable genotype. It is recommended that genotype ‘YBS-70’ can be grown with 90 kg ha-1 P application for higher fodder yield. Nevertheless, different P levels must be tested for concrete recommendations for different soil types in various agroecological zones of Pakistan.

Character Association and Path Co-efficient Analysis Among Inbred Lines of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. BR.)

A field experiment with 70 pearl millet inbred lines was carried out for analysis of character association and path coefficient for 21 metric traits. A perusal of character association indicated highly significant positive association of panicle weight, green fodder yield plant-1, dry fodder yield plant-1, number of productive tillers plant-1, spike girth, plant height, leaf blade length, number of nodes plant-1, spike length, harvest index, threshing percentage, leaf blade width and specific leaf area at 45 DAS with grain yield plant-1 as well as among themselves at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis indicated that kernel yield plant-1 exhibited high positive direct effect on panicle weight followed by threshing percentage and green fodder yield plant-1. Critical analysis of results obtained from character association and path analysis indicated that grain yield plant-1 had strong positive association with panicle weight which also had high magnitude of positive direct effect. This reveals the importance of this component trait in selection of superior genotypes for higher yield in genotypes of pearl millet.

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PEARL MILLET GENOTYPES UNDER ARID CONDITIONS OF SOUTHEAST KAZAKHSTAN

A comparative assessment of 14 pearl millet genotypes transpired for growth and yield traits under arid conditions of Southeast Kazakhstan. In this study, the green and dry plant biomass and grain yield of 14 pearl millet genotypes’ assessment ensued under rainfed conditions in Southeast Kazakhstan. For green biomass yield, the three pearl millet genotypes Bair Bajsa, HHVBC tall, and J-6 performed better and were high yielders ranging from 39.07 to 39.94 t/ha. The accumulation of dry biomass (as hay) was different and varied widely from 3.17 to 17.36 t/ha; however, the maximum dry biomass appeared in the genotype HHVBC tall. Genotype HHVBC tall was leading for green and dry plant biomass formation and has the potential for grain yield under rainfed conditions of Southeast Kazakhstan. Drought always negatively impacted the production of fodder and grains; however, genotype HHVBC tall assures a stable plant biomass and seed production under arid conditions. In dry Southeast Kazakhstan, pearl millet, a drought-resistant crop, is a highly productive, valuable fodder and grain crop based on quality yields of biomass and grains. Subject to the cultivation technology and according to weather conditions, on average, the pearl millet genotypes form a green mass biomass yield of 40 t/ha and grain yield of 2.2 t/ha under rainfed conditions of Southeast Kazakhstan. For cultivation in the Republic, it is necessary to expand pearl millet as an annual crop, most adapted to extreme agroecological conditions.

Genome-wide association analyses of agronomic traits and Striga hermonthica resistance in pearl millet

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) is a nutrient-dense, relatively drought-tolerant cereal crop cultivated in dry regions worldwide. The crop is under-researched, and its grain yield is low (< 0.8 tons ha−1) and stagnant in the major production regions, including Burkina Faso. The low productivity of pearl millet is mainly attributable to a lack of improved varieties, Striga hermonthica [Sh] infestation, downy mildew infection, and recurrent heat and drought stress. Developing high-yielding and Striga-resistant pearl millet varieties that satisfy the farmers’ and market needs requires the identification of yield-promoting genes linked to economic traits to facilitate marker-assisted selection and gene pyramiding. The objective of this study was to undertake genome-wide association analyses of agronomic traits and Sh resistance among 150 pearl millet genotypes to identify genetic markers for marker-assisted breeding and trait introgression. The pearl millet genotypes were phenotyped in Sh hotspot fields and screen house conditions. Twenty-nine million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) initially generated from 345 pearl millet genotypes were filtered, and 256 K SNPs were selected and used in the present study. Phenotypic data were collected on days to flowering, plant height, number of tillers, panicle length, panicle weight, thousand-grain weight, grain weight, number of emerged Striga and area under the Striga number progress curve (ASNPC). Agronomic and Sh parameters were subjected to combined analysis of variance, while genome-wide association analysis was performed on phenotypic and SNPs data. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were detected among the assessed pearl millet genotypes for Sh parameters and agronomic traits. Further, there were significant genotype by Sh interaction for the number of Sh and ASNPC. Twenty-eight SNPs were significantly associated with a low number of emerged Sh located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Four SNPs were associated with days-to-50%-flowering on chromosomes 3, 5, 6, and 7, while five were associated with panicle length on chromosomes 2, 3, and 4. Seven SNPs were linked to thousand-grain weight on chromosomes 2, 3, and 6. The putative SNP markers associated with a low number of emerged Sh and agronomic traits in the assessed genotypes are valuable genomic resources for accelerated breeding and variety deployment of pearl millet with Sh resistance and farmer- and market-preferred agronomic traits.

Exploring Genetic Variability for Health benefiting Grain Nutritional Traits in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.)

In the present study variability parameters and association of grain mineral (Ca and Mg) with yield and its attributing traits were determined for fifty pearl millet genotypes at CCS, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during kharif 2020. Grain Ca content, grain yield/plant and dry fodder yield/plant were found to have high heritability along with genetic advance as percent of mean. A positive correlation was found for grain yield with 1000- seed weight but a negative and non-significant correlation with Ca and Mg content of grain indicating that these could be improved without compromising grain yield/plant. Highly significant and positive association between Ca and Mg content suggested that both these traits can be simultaneously improved. The lines viz., HMC-94-2, GP-69, GP-80, GP-70 and HMC-283 with high grain yield/plant (&gt;30g) along with moderately high grain Ca (&gt;115 mg/kg) and Mg (&gt;1600 mg/kg) content were identified in present study.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on infection and growth of rice and pearl millet in upland fields with three water regimes

ABSTRACT Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may enhance crop growth in upland fields, depending on the water regime. To quantify changes in AMF infection rate and subsequent effects on nutrient uptake and growth, we grew rice (wetland crop) and pearl millet (dryland crop) genotypes with or without the commercial inoculant Dr. Kinkon (Glomus sp. R10) in Andosol upland fields in 2020 and 2021. Root infection rates were measured in shallow (0–10 cm) and deep (20–30 cm) layers under three water regimes: well-irrigated, half-irrigated, and non-irrigated. Inoculation enhanced shoot dry weight (SDW), plant height, tiller number, phosphorus (P) uptake, leaf water potential, photosynthetic rate (measured only in 2021) and root transversal area. The increase in SDW with inoculation was higher under well-irrigated than under water-limited conditions. The increment in pearl millet SDW was related to higher P uptake associated with higher infection rates, whereas that in rice SDW was related to maintenance of leaf water potential, greater root transversal area and root length density, and higher P uptake but not to infection rate parameters. Inoculation increased mycorrhizal and vesicular infection rates with the similar tendency for arbuscular infection rate and qPCR. Infection rates were similar across water regimes in both years despite significant differences in plant growth parameters with higher rates in deep than shallow layers. AMF inoculation enhanced infection rates, mostly independent of water regime, but plant growth enhancement was greater under the well-irrigated treatment and was more directly linked with infection rates in pearl millet.

Stability Analyses of pearl Millet Genotypes (Pennisetum glaucum) and its Related Traits Using the Freeman and Perkins Model

In the present study, twenty-nine genotypes were carried out to determine the stability of morphological characters viz., dry fodder yield, Days to 50% flowering, and Days to maturity of pearl millet in eight different environments viz., ARS Mandor, Bikaner, RARI Jaipur, Jamnagar, Hisar, Gwalior, Ranchi and Jammu Kashmir using Freeman and Perkins model. Data was collected from ICAR- All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) of pearl millet, Agricultural University, Mandor, Rajasthan, India for one year (2019). The combined analysis of variance showed significant differences among genotypes, environments and Genotype by Environment (G x E) interaction for all morphological characters under study. Mean, regression coefficient and deviation from regression were used as stability measures. Genotype G23 exhibited stability across all studied traits, while G10 and G29 demonstrated stability specifically for dry fodder yield and days to 50% flowering. Furthermore, genotype G22 displayed stability for dry fodder yield and days to maturity in all environments.

Phylogenetic Relationship among Grasses, Wheat and Pearl Millet using matK and rbcR Genes

Fourteen genotypes of tall fescue, Brachypodium, wheat and pearl millet were used to find out phylogenetic relationships at their different ploidy level. Isolated chloroplast DNA of the 14 genotypes was sequenced using some selected matK and rbcR genetic markers. The matK and rbcR chloroplast gene sequences length were 1539bp and 1431bp, respectively. The consensus sequence length of matK gene was 1265bp in Brachypodium and wheat, 1266bp in both tall fescue Continental and Mditerranean species, 1269bp in pearl millet and for rbcR gene was only 1156bp in all studied four species. Except in Brachypodium, the variations of SNP for both matK and rbcR genes were observed in different ploidy levels of pearl millet and between the tall fescue Continental and Mediterranean species. Wheat with their different ploidy level gave the SNP variations only for matK gene. In respect of all ploidy levels, pearl millet had the highest number of SNP for both matK (247) and rbcR (130) genes. The tall fescue Continental (129) and Mediterranean (123) were in second position to show their genetic variation for matK gene. The rbcR gene had higher SNP at 5¢ regions of all four species, but matK gene only in wheat and tall fescue and 3¢ in millet and Brachypodium species. There was no in-del for rbcR gene, but the insertion of nucleotide for the matK gene was found highest in diploid wheat (11) and the deletion was in pearl millet (6). The phylogenetic analysis stated that their relationships were tall fescue Continental and tall fescue Mediterranean was much more related to wheat than pearl millet and Brachypodium. Plant Tissue Cult. &amp; Biotech. 33(1): 57-70, 2023 (June)

Molecular Analysis of Genetic Variability and Relationship among Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Genotypes by Using SSR Markers

Pearl millet has a place with sort Pennisetum, and family Poaceae. Pearl millet is the most broadly developed grain crop in Asia and Africa representing close to half of the worldwide millet creation. In India, pearl millet is the fourth most broadly developed food crop after rice, wheat, and maize. We used molecular techniques to investigate the genetic diversity and relatedness of six genotypes viz:ICMV155, Dhanshakti, PC-612, Sampada, HHB-67, and HHB-197.the six genotypes was collected from National agriculture research project Aurangabad. The present study was conducted at the Department of Plant Biotechnology at K. K. Wagh College of Agricultural Biotechnology, Nashik.&#x0D; DNA was isolated by fixing a sample in alcohol without using liquid nitrogen; six genotypes were analyzed through SSR primers to determine the extent of molecular characterization. PCR amplification using 10 SSR primers generated a total of 111 no. of bands were scored corresponding an average of 11 bands per primer with 77 bands showing polymorphism (67%) and 34 bands showing monomorphism (30%). The PIC value ranged from 0.35 to 0.68 with an average of 0.4. Jaccard’s coefficient based on SSR analysis 0.38 to 0.90. The dendrogram wasconstructed using the UPGMA method. It has two main clusters Cluster-1 consisting of C1- HHB 67, V6-ICMV-155, C2- HHB 197 and C4- Sampada. Cluster-2 comprised C3-Dhanshakti and V5-PC 612 as an out group. C2- HHB 197 and C4- Sampada genotypes have the highest similarity coefficient 0.76. Among all the genotypes, C1- HHB 67 and V5- PC 612 was found most diverse as it separated from all other genotypes at a very low similarity coefficient of 0.6. The identified markers can prove useful for identification of diverse germplasm and future DNA fingerprinting studies.