Development of High Yielding Disease Resistant Hybrid in Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.] for Northern Karnataka

Pear Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] isanimportant nutri-cereal as it contains higher level of micronutrients especially \nFe and Zn compared to other cereal crops like maize, wheat, rice, sorghum etcand is one of the important sources of staple food \nto the large masses of the people across the globe. Heterosis is the superiority of F1 over its parents and it has been extensively \nstudied in pearl millet. Due to its protogynous nature, it is highly cross pollinated and well amenable to exploit heterosis, further, \navailability of cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterile sources in the crop gives scope for development of hybrids in turn enhance the \ncrop productivity. Among various biotic and abiotic stresses which impact the productivity, Blast disease caused by \nPyriculariagrisea (Cooke) Sacc., is emerging as a major disease of concern resulting into yield loss to the tune of 62 per \ncent.Looking into the importance of the disease, it necessitates to breed for stable and durable disease resistant hybrids. In this \ncontext, disease resistance breeding programme was initiated at All India Co-ordinated Research Project (Millets) at Regional \nAgricultural Research Station, Vijayapur with the aim to develop disease resistant hybrid with high productivity. After several \ngenerations of screening, evaluation and selection of parents and crosscombinations, new hybrid, VPMH-7, was identified by \ncrossinga good combiner and an early flowering A1 cytoplasm based malesterile line ICMA 94555 with good restorer CPRT \n112. The hybrid identified has recorded significantly higher mean yield of 24.50 percent over National Check, GHB 558, in Zone \n3 of Karnataka. Due to its encouraging performance, the hybrid was promoted and tested underFarm Trials andLarge Scale \nDemonstrations, wherein, the said hybrid recorded 12.60 and 24.80 per cent superiority over GHB 558 respectively. The hybrid \nis promising for blast disease resistance under field condition as compared to GHB-558, and matures early (80-85 days), \nmaking it suitable for late planting and multiple cropping system. Considering all these attributes, this disease resistant hybrid, \nVPMH-7, having high yield potential is released (2019) and notified (2020) for commercial cultivation in Zone 3 of Karnataka.