Characteristics and potential uses of some genetic stocks of pearl millet in the world collection

The world germplasm collection of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br.J consisting of 21, 772 accessions from 44 countries is being maintained at ICRISAT Centre, Patancheru, India. Most of the material has been evaluated and characterised to identify traits of economic importance for present and future utilisation. Promising accessions identified as sources of disease resistance are 1220 to downy mildew, 151 to ergot, 161 to smut and 392 to rust. Other genetic stocks and seedling markers identified are 145 dwarfs, 3 midribless, 8 glossy and many viable chlorophyll deficient mutants. New male sterile lines identified from Ghana and Botswana germplasm are early-maturing and produce large grains. Sweet stalk types with high sugar content are useful to develop fodder types. Early-flowering stocks are useful to develop early-maturing high-yielding cultivars. Germplasm from West Africa is a good source for disease resistance, high head volume and large grain size.