Breakthrough in breeding for resistance to downy mildew in pearl millet

Abstract

The Indian millet hybrid programme received a set back in 1965 due to the high downy mildew susceptibility of the female parent Tift 23 A (even in the seedling stage), which was common to all five hybrids released in the subcontinent. Mutational rectification of the fertile counterpart of the male sterile line using gamma radiation has permitted the development of a tolerant line which could immediately replace the female parent. Simultaneous diversification of resistance using West African and Indian donors in the backcrossing programme has permitted the release of three more male steriles 5054 A, 5141 A and L111 A which are as widely adapted as the parental line. The corresponding selection for resistance in the male parents of the released hybrids has resulted in a set of new reconstituted hybrids now cultivated during the past two years in over four million hectares in all the millet growing states in India with the same maturity and other desirable agronomical features and wide adaptation of the earlier hybrids but reinforced with mildew resistance.