New sources of resistance to pearl millet downy mildew

Use of host plant resistance is the most effective method of control of downy mildew (Sclerospora ffaminicola) in pearl millet (Pennisetum gimicum). To identify new sources of resistance to the disease, we tested 500 accessions of diverse origin in two green house tests (spray and dip inoculations) and in a field disease nursery during 1992–93 at ICRISAT Asia Center. An accession was sown in two pots each in the green house, and in a 4-m row plant in two replications in the field disease nursery. Many accessions that were free from downy mildew in individual tests, but only two accessions, IP 8897 and IP 14619 remained downy mildew free and IP 17311 showed a high degree of resistance (%) in all the tests. Maximum disease incidence recorded was 9%, 44.4% and 61.3% in field, dip and spray-inoculation tests, respectively. The stability of resistance in the newly identified accession will be examined in multilocational tests in coming years