Genetic Architecture of Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

In arid and semi-arid tropics of the country low to erratic behaviour of rainfall adversely effects the sowing plan and resulting in poor yield in pearl millet. Hence the breeder is expected to develop varieties that have broader adaptability to varying environments. In the present study, the ANOVA over environments (different sowing dates) indicated that environments influenced the expression of progenies significantly. The study also revealed that in general both additive (fixable) and non-additive (non fixable) gene actions are involved in the inheritance of grain yield and its components suggesting the importance of both hybrid breeding and composite development programmes. Pearl millet improvement in the country is a stage where large number of hybrids and a few composites are released for commercial cultivation; they are performing well under assured moisture, only very few hybrids are released for drought prone areas. In arid and semi-arid tropics of the country where many a times the sowing is made early or delayed as it is dependent on arrival of rains, we must find out the stability in performance of the genotypes under the fluctuating sowing time.