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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #140075
Title: GRAIN AND FORAGE YIELDS OF POPULATION HYBRIDS BETWEEN WEST AFRICAN PEARL MILLET LANDRACES

Author
item Hanna, Wayne
item ANGARAWAI, I - NIGERIA
item FOFANA, A - SENEGAL
item Gates, Roger
item GONDA, J - NIGER
item GUPTA, S - NIGERIA
item MUUKA, F - ZAMBIA
item OUENDEBA, B - NIGER
item SANOGO, M - MALI
item Wilson, Jeffrey - Jeff

Submitted to: Intsormil
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/4/2002
Publication Date: 11/30/2002
Citation: Hanna, W.W., Angarawai, I., Fofana, A., Gates, R.N., Gonda, J., Gupta, S., Muuka, F., Ouendeba, B., Sanogo, M., and Wilson, J.P. 2002. Grain and forage yields of population hybrids between West African pearl millet landraces. Intsormil PI Conference. November 18-20, 2002. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: The advantages of hybrid vigor for improving grain and forage yields are well-documented in a number of crops, including pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. The objective of this research was to evaluate population hybrids between West African landraces for improving grain and forage yields. Population hybrids were made among 10 landraces (Ex-Bornu, Ugandi, Mansori, Iniari, P3Kolo, Ankoutess Improved, SOSAT-C88, HKP-GMS, Gwagwa, and GR-P1). Hybrids were tested in Senegal, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Zambia for grain production and in the USA for forage production. Population hybrids with SOSAT-C88 as a parent tended to perform better at almost all locations. For example, hybrids WA 23 and WA26 were in the top four grain producer groups at each locations in 2001. WA25 was in the top four group at three of the four locations. A common parent of these hybrids was SOSAT-C88. It is interesting to note that WA23 and WA25 also produced the most forage dry matter of the population hybrids. No population hybrid out-yielded the best local genotypes (which were not used in the population hybrids) at any location except in Senegal where WA21 and WA23 produced significantly more grain. The population hybrids could make a contribution to improving grain yields of pearl millet in West Africa. However, it appears that crosses need to be made between specific types (maturity, height, grain color and size, head length, etc) with local adaptation. Genotypes such as SOSAT-C88, with good general combing ability, could be effectively used to enhance yield. Crosses between SOSAT-C88 and Souna3, Kuomboka, Toroniou C1(best local checks) should be evaluated for grain production in Senegal, Zambia and Mali, respectively. Although none of the population hybrids yielded more forage dry matter or were more digestible than Tifleaf 3 (the best local check), there appears to be potential for improving both dry matter yields and percent in vitro dry matter digestibility using the West African germplasm. Acknowledgment: Research supported in part by INTSORMIL project ARS 204.