Zonal adaptation in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Sr.] cultivar types

Abstract

The pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] growing area of India is divided into three zones: the arid northwest (A1), the more favorable northern area (A) and the peninsular area (B), based on environmental factors. This study was done to assess adaptation patterns among common cultivar types to these three zones. Thirty cultivars (arid zone landraces, open-pollinated dual-purpose varieties and grain-type F1 hybrids) were grown over two years in a representative location of each three main zones, plus an additional, severely drought stressed A1 zone location. The F1 hybrids demonstrated a stable adaptation to all zones, in terms of both biomass and HI, although their actual level of biomass was the least of all three cultivar types. The landraces showed a strong specific adaptation to the Al zone, in terms of both biomass and HI. The open-pollinated varieties, by contrast, were preferentially adapted to the A and B zones, and not to the A1 zone. The results are discussed in terms of the genetic origin of the various cultivar types and the implications for the genetic improvement of pearl millet on an All-India basis.