Morphological description and yield performance of pearl millet landraces collected from Rajasthan, India

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1 Morphological description and yield performance of pearl millet landraces collected from Rajasthan, India OP Yadav Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur , Rajasthan, India Citation : Yadav OP, (2007) Morphological description and yield performance of pearl millet landraces collected from Rajasthan, India. Journal of SAT Agricultural Research 5(1). Introduction Crop landraces possess novel genes for adaptation, disease resistance and other agronomically important traits (Ceccarelli 1994). However, traditional landraces have been replaced by modern crop cultivars in several food crops during the last six decades as there has been a tremendous progress in development of high-yielding varieties. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is no exception to this as millet breeding programs have been greatly successful mostly in India in developing single cross hybrids and open-pollinated varieties that have been widely adopted by the farmers (Khairwal and Yadav 2005), though their spread has been slower in western Rajasthan as compared to other parts of India. As a result traditional pearl millet landraces are still prevalently grown in this part of the country and are important sources of drought tolerance (Yadav et al. 2003) and grain and fodder quality traits (Kelley et al. 1996, Christinck 2002). The pearl millet landraces from Rajasthan have been previously collected (Appa Rao et al. 1986, Reddy et al. 1993) and conserved in the genebank at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Owing to cross pollinating nature of pearl millet and exchange of germplasm among farmers of different regions (Christinck 2002), new genetic variation is continually generated from intermating at farmers field and hence there is a need to collect and document this variation at regular intervals. Previous landrace evaluations in pearl millet (Appa Rao et al. 1986) involved morphological traits only. From plant breeders point of view, however, it is equally important to assess the yielding ability of landraces together with their phenotypic features to enable breeders to select different combinations of traits in good genetic background. The morphological description of recently collected 169 landraces along with their yield performance data is reported in this paper. Materials and methods The landraces were collected in the crop seasons of from 18 districts of Rajasthan. The details of collection methodology have been described in detail in Yadav (In press). In brief, a minimum of 200 panicles from entire field of collection site were randomly taken and bulked to refer an individual landrace accession. A distance of km was kept between two sampling sites unless unique landraces were spotted in specific fields. Landraces were evaluated during (except in 2002 when the crop was lost due to failure of monsoon rains) using randomized block design with 2 (in 2001 and 2004) or 3 (in 2000 and 2003) replications. The number of landraces included in evaluations was 19 in 2000, 46 in 2001, 45 in 2003 and 59 in Two checks, viz, hybrid HHB 67 and composite CZP 923 representing two types of cultivars available in pearl millet were also included in each year of evaluations. The landraces and checks were sown with a tractor-drawn planter and seedlings were thinned within 2 weeks of sowing to maintain a uniform spacing of 15 cm between plants within rows. The experiments received 40 kg N ha -1 and 40 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 during all four years of evaluation. Weeds were controlled through two hand weedings each year. Landraces were characterized for 11 morphological descriptors which included stem diameter (thin, medium and thick) at dough stage, tillering attitude (erect, intermediate and spreading) at head emergence stage, number of nodal tillers (few, intermediate and many) at dough stage, green fodder potential (poor, intermediate and good) at flowering considering tillering and leafiness, panicle shape at dough stage, panicle shattering at maturity, bristles length at dough stage, panicle exsertion type (positive or negative) on primary tiller at dough stage, panicle density (loose, intermediate and compact) at maturity, seed covering (exposed, intermediate and enclosed) at maturity and downy mildew (low, medium and high) at dough stage following IBPGR and ICRISAT (1993). SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

2 Grain yield and dry stover yield were measured on plot basis and converted into kg ha -1. Since the landraces differed in different years of evaluations, the yield per se are not comparable. However, the inclusion of two common checks permitted to compare their yields relative to checks. Data on grain and stover yields were subjected to analysis of variance in individual years. The grain and stover yields of landraces were expressed in terms of per cent yield of two checks HHB 67 and CZP 923. Results and discussion The description of individual landrace accessions with respect to various morphological traits is presented in Table 1. There was only limited variation for some of the morphological traits. For example, all 169 landraces had erect growth habit. Most of the landraces barring a few (accession number 31, 97, 150 and 153) were classified as low shattering. All but seven landraces had positive (good) panicle exsertion. The shape and compactness of panicles also varied relatively lesser as compared to other recorded descriptors: panicles were either candle or cylindrical or mixture of both types. All but seven landraces had thin to medium thick panicles. Thinner stems have been described as having association with better stover quality (Kelley et al. 1996), which is an important consideration of farmers in adoption of cultivars (Christinck 2002). On the other hand, landrace accessions revealed a good range of expression for other descriptors, viz, nodal tillers, green fodder potential, bristles, panicle density, seed covering and downy mildew incidence from all the districts (Table 1) suggesting that it should be possible to select landraces from different regions with various combinations of morphological traits. Among the landraces characterized in this study, 73 came from dry areas of western Rajasthan, which included districts of Barmer, Churu, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, while 96 were from central and eastern Rajasthan. The environmental resources and crop production constraints differ markedly in these regions (Government of Rajasthan 1994). Hence an attempt was made to compare the morphological features of landrace accessions collected from these two environmentally diverse regions. A clear trend was observed with regions of collection for some of the descriptors (Table 2). A larger proportion of landraces from non-arid regions appeared more suitable for their ability to better serve as source of green fodder. Similarly, bristles were more frequently observed in landraces from western Rajasthan as 44 out of 73 landraces had either small or medium length bristles. On the other hand, only 27 out of 96 landraces from eastern and central parts of Rajasthan possessed this trait. In fact, more than 70% of landraces of central and eastern Rajasthan had no bristles. Variation in stem thickness was equally distributed among the landraces of two regions. Nodal tillers were found to be slightly higher in western Rajasthan landraces (Table 2). Nodal tillering provides developmental plasticity to landraces and is an important component of adaptation mechanism to the harsh growing environments (van Oosterom et al. 2003). Seed was covered by glume wholly or partially in most of the landraces. Seed covering by glumes was more prominent in drier areas landraces. All but one landrace (accession number 206) had either candle or cylindrical or a mixture of both types. However, candle shape was less frequently observed in dry-region landraces. All landraces had either medium or compact panicles though proportion of landraces with compact panicles was observed to be higher in dry regions (Table 2). The downy mildew incidence was high only in three landraces and a great majority of them had low to medium disease incidence (Table 1). It should be recognized, however, that landraces were scored for downy mildew incidence under natural field conditions without artificial epiphytotic conditions. Hence downy mildew data needs to be interpreted with a slight caution. The grain and stover yield performance of landraces provided very encouraging picture. As many as 26 landraces provided grain yield that was either similar to or higher than HHB 67 (Table 2). Number of such landraces rose to 85 when compared with openpollinated variety CZP 923. Landraces had still greater ability to produce dry stover as compared to both checks. A total of 54 landraces provided stover yield which was 1.5 to 3.4 times higher than both checks (Table 1). These data clearly suggest that landraces are excellent source of improved stover yield. The most promising landraces identified for this purpose are 221, 185, 235, , 184, 209, 227, 231, 202, 214, 229, 205, 183, 228, 232, 238, 181, 193, 197, 213 and 190. Given the forecast of enhanced demand in India for livestock products in future, the requirement of dry stover to maintain livestock is expected to be much higher than that at present. The ability of pearl millet landraces to produce a much greater amount of stover in arid zone environments than established checks renders them as excellent germplasm source for breeding program targeting improvement of stover productivity. The data presented here will help to identify and use such landraces. Importance of such germplasm materials is also likely to increase in future in view of effects of global warming on crop productivity as pearl millet has a much greater tolerance to the elevated temperatures. SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

3 Table 1. Accession number, district of collection and description of 169 landraces of pearl millet for 11 morphological traits 1. 1 Ajmer Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Exposed Medium Ajmer Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Exposed Medium Ajmer Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Good Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Good Candle Low None Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Thin Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Intermediate Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Exposed Low Jaipur Thick Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Intermediate Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Jhunjhunu Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Jhunjhunu Medium Erect None Intermediate Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jhunjhunu Medium Erect None Good Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Jhunjhunu Medium Erect None Good Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jhunjhunu Medium Erect None Good Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Churu Thin Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Churu Thin Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Churu Thin Erect None Poor Candle Medium Medium + Intermediate Exposed Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low Medium + Compact Covered Low Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low Medium + Intermediate Covered Low Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low Medium + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Medium + Intermediate Covered Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Medium + Compact Covered Medium Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Medium + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Medium + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Medium Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Medium Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Medium Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Exposed Low Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low continued SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

4 Table 1. (continued) 61 Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Covered Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Covered Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Covered Medium Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Medium Barmer Thin Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate High Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Covered Medium Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Medium Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Covered Low Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Covered Medium Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Medium Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Medium Barmer Medium Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Barmer Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jodhpur Thin Erect Few Good Candle Low Medium + Compact Intermediate Medium Jodhpur Medium Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Jaisalmer Thin Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low Medium + Intermediate Covered Medium Jaisalmer Medium Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low Medium + Compact Covered Medium Jaisalmer Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Medium Medium + Intermediate Covered High Jaisalmer Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Covered High Jodhpur Thin Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low Medium + Compact Covered Medium Bikaner Medium Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low Medium + Intermediate Intermediate Medium Bikaner Medium Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Covered Low Bikaner Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Bikaner Medium Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Bikaner Medium Erect None Intermediate Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Exposed Medium continued SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

5 Table 1. (continued) 111 Churu Medium Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Medium Churu Medium Erect None Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Medium Churu Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Churu Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Compact Intermediate Medium Churu Medium Erect Few Good Cylindrical Low Medium + Compact Exposed Low Churu Thick Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Churu Thin Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Churu Medium Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Churu Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Churu Thick Erect None Good Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Medium Erect None Good Candle Low Medium + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Medium Erect Few Good Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Exposed Medium Sikar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Medium Sikar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Medium Sikar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Medium Sikar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Medium Sikar Medium Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Medium Sikar Thick Erect None Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Sikar Medium Erect None Good Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Nagaur Thin Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Sikar Medium Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Sikar Thin Erect Few Good Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Good Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Ajmer Thin Erect Few Good Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jalore Thin Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Covered Low Jalore Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Intermediate Covered Low Jalore Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Compact Exposed Medium Jalore Thin Erect Few Intermediate Candle Medium Medium + Intermediate Exposed Low Jalore Thin Erect Few Good Cylindrical Medium Small + Intermediate Covered Low Jalore Thin Erect None Intermediate Cylindrical Low None + Compact Covered Low Sirohi Thin Erect None Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Medium Udaipur Medium Erect None Intermediate Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jodhpur Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jodhpur Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical low Medium Intermediate Intermediate Low Nagaur Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Nagaur Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low Medium Intermediate Intermediate Low Nagaur Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Nagaur Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Nagaur Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low continued SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

6 Table 1. (continued) 186 Nagaur Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Nagaur Medium Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Covered Low Jaipur Thin Erect Few Poor Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Jaipur Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Jaipur Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low None Compact Covered Low Jaipur Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Jaipur Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Medium Sikar Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Sikar Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Cylindrical Low Small + Compact Intermediate Low Sikar Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Thin Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Sikar Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Intermediate Conical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Jaipur Medium Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Thick Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Alwar Thin Erect Few Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Alwar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Alwar Medium Erect Few Intermediate Candle Cylindrical Low None + intermediate Intermediate Low Alwar Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None + intermediate Covered Low Alwar Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Alwar Medium Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Alwar Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + intermediate Intermediate Medium Alwar Thick Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Alwar Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Alwar Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Covered Low Alwar Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None Intermediate Covered Low Bharatpur Thin Erect None Poor Candle Cylindrical Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Bharatpur Thick Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Bharatpur Thin Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Dausa Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Covered Low Dausa Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Karauli Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Karauli Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low continued SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

7 Table 1. (continued) 228 Karauli Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Karauli Medium Erect None Good Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Karauli Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Swai Madhopur Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None Intermediate Intermediate Low Swai Madhopur Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Exposed Low Swai Madhopur Thin Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None Compact Exposed Low Dausa Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Compact Intermediate Low Dausa Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low Small + Intermediate Intermediate Low Dausa Medium Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Medium Erect None Poor Candle Low None + Intermediate Exposed Low Jaipur Thin Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Thin Erect None Intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low Jaipur Thin Erect None intermediate Candle Low None + Intermediate Intermediate Low The grain and stover yields are also given as per cent yield of checks hybrids HHB 67 and Composite CZP 923. SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

8 Table 2. Number of pearl millet landraces from western districts and central and eastern districts of Rajasthan in different categories of 11 morphological traits. Number of landraces from Morphological descriptor Category Western districts Central and eastern districts Stem diameter Thin Medium Thick 2 5 Tillering Erect Nodal tillers None Few Many 0 0 Green fodder potential Poor Intermediate Good 8 17 Panicle shape Candle Cylindrical Candle + cylindrical 28 6 Conical 0 1 Shattering Low Medium 2 2 High 0 0 Bristles None Small Medium 13 3 Panicle exsertion Positive (+) Negative ( ) 1 6 Panicle density Loose 0 0 Intermediate Compact Seed covering Exposed 9 23 Intermediate Covered Downy mildew incidence Low Medium High 3 0 Acknowledgments. This work was undertaken under ICAR-funded NATP Project on the Sustainable Management of Biodiversity. The generosity of farmers to contribute the sample of their landrace produce is greatly appreciated and thankfully acknowledged. References Appa Rao S, Mengesha MH, Vyas KL and Rajagopal Reddy C Evaluation of pearl millet germplasm from Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 56:4 9. Ceccarelli S Specific adaptation and breeding for marginal conditions. Euphytica 77: Christinck A This seed is like ourselves a case study from Rajasthan, India on the social aspects of biodiversity and farmers management of pearl millet seed. Weikersheim, Germany: Margraf Verlaf. 190 pp. Government of Rajasthan Resource atlas of Rajasthan. Jaipur, Rajasthan, India: Government of Rajasthan. pp IBPGR and ICRISAT Descriptors of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]. Rome, Italy: International Board for Plant Genetic Resources; and Patancheru , Andhra Pradesh, India: SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1

9 International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. Kelley JD, Parathasarathy Rao P, Weltzien ER and Purohit ML Adoption of improved cultivars of pearl millet in an arid environment: straw yield and quality considerations in western Rajasthan. Experimental Agriculture 32: Khairwal IS and Yadav OP Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) improvement in India retrospect and prospects. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 75: Reddy KN, Bhandari DC, Yadav OP, Appa Rao S and Mangesha MH Collection of crop germplasm in Rajasthan. Genetic Resources Progress Report 73. Patancheru , Andhra Pradesh, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. 12 pp. van Oosterom EJ, Bidinger FR and Weltzien RE A yield architecture framework to explain adaptation of pearl millet to environmental stress. Field Crops Research 80: Yadav OP. (In press). Collection, characterization and evaluation of genetic diversity in pearl millet landraces from arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan. Annals of Arid Zone 46. Yadav OP, Weltzien-Rattunde E and Bidinger FR Genetic variation for drought response among landraces of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding 63: SAT ejournal ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 Volume 5 Issue 1