Variation and character association in fodder yield and related traits in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Sr.]

Abstract

An evaluation of 115 accessions of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] germplasm for green fodder yield as well as quality traits in an augmented design over two seasons revealed highly significant differences among the accessions for days to heading. Plant height, tillers per plant, stem thickness, protein content, calcium content, oxalic acid content and green fodder yield per plot in both the seasons. The genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were more or less similar for all the characters. Broad sense habitability was moderate (61% for stem thickness) to high (97% for calcium and oxalic acid contents) confirming that genotypic variance has contributed substantially to the total variance. The association and path coefficient analysis revealed that tillers' per plant, plant height and leaf to stem ratio were the important characters and may be selected to increase the fodder yield ability. Based on the results of the means of the two seasons considering together the various traits, the accession IP 5735 was found to be superior for earliness, plant height, tiller per plant, leaves per plant, leaf : stem ratio, oxalic acid content and green fodder yield; IP-5741 for green fodder yield, earliness, plant height and leaf: stem ratio; IP-15213 for green fodder yield, earliness, plant height and tillers per plant; IP-17998 for green fodder yield, tillers per plant, leaves per plant and leaf: stem ratio; IP-14185 for green fodder yield, stem thickness and low oxalic content; IP 14446 for green fodder yield, plant height and low oxalic content. Therefore, this accession should be utilized in further breeding program for developing superior varieties.