RA 00110.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Second Phase
The second phase started with the use of the malesterile
line 5071 A, which was bred at Delhi by mutational
change from Tift 23A. It showed less downy
mildew incidence in the seed crop, and its hybrids
varied in their disease resistance.
Three hybrids had 5071 A as the seed parent
(Table 2), but they did not become popular because
of their low yields and their continued susceptibility
to downy mildew. Within a year or two they were no
longer cultivated.
During this second phase, an attempt was made to
diversify the female background. Two hybrids bred
at Ludhiana, PHB10 and PHB14 (later named HB 6
and HB 7), were released. These hybrids had the
Ludhiana male-sterile line Pb 111A as the seed parent.
In Gujarat, hybrid GHB 1399 (on male-sterile line
126D2A) was bred at Jamnagar and released.
Table 4. Performance of second phase pearl millet
hybrids in coordinated trials.
Year
1974-75
1975-76
1976-77
Mean
I. Irrigated.
N H B 3
1420
1330
1380
NHB 5
Grain yield (kg ha -1 )
1770
1200
1360
1440
HB 6
1960
1100
1530
HB 7
1860
1290
1720
1620
GHB 1399 1
2460
2120
2290
The performance of these hybrids is presented in
Table 4. A l l had good downy mildew resistance,
however none of them were widely cultivated commercially,
and they lasted 2-3 years. This marked the
end of the second-phase hybrids.
Third Phase
The third phase started with the use of two new
downy mildew resistant male-sterile lines developed
at Delhi from Tift 23A. These lines, 5141A and
5054A, had good downy mildew resistance and were
widely used. These were the seed parents of hybrids
such as BJ 104, BK560, and CJ 104, which became
very popular and were widely cultivated (Table 2).
The grain yield data and downy mildew incidence of
these hybrids are shown in Table 5.
These hybrids were cultivated from 1977-84, but a
high incidence of downy mildew on 5141A, and the
resultant susceptibility in its hybrids caused it to be
phased out as a hybrid parent in 1985. Moreover, CJ
104, which had 5054A as the seed parent, also
became susceptible. The third phase of hybrid era is
ending, as 5141A and its derivatives are no longer
used.
During the latter part of this third phase, five
hybrids were released which had three male-sterile
lines as the seed parent other than 5141A (Table 2).
The grain yield and downy mildew incidence of these
hybrids is presented in Table 6. Two of these five
hybrids were released by M A H Y C O , a private
company.
Table 5. Performance of third phase pearl millet hybrids in co-ordinated trials.
Hybrids
BJ 104
BK 560
BD 111
BD 763
GHB 27
GHB 32
COH 2
Local
1977
2360
2250
2440
2320
2175
2100 1
-
1610
Susceptible control
1978
1920
1890
1790
-
1840
1950
2050
1490
Grain yield (kg ha -1 )
1979
2020
.
-
2170
2070
2070
2180
1650
1980
2080
-
-
-
2100
2150
2290
1510
1981
2160
-
-
-
-
-
-
1690
Mean
2110
2070
2120
2240
2050
2070
2170
1590
%
BJ 104
100
98
100
106
97
98
103
76
93.5 2 67.9 2 58.5 3 42.12
-
Downy mildew (%)
1977
8.3
-
1.1
1.7
6.3
4.7
-
-
1978
9.8
5.5
3.7
-
1.2
6.6
4.0
-
1979
13.7
-
-
1.7
0.9
1.4
2.7
-
1980
8.7
3.1
-
-
2.5
1.5
3.7
-
1981
8.1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Mean
9.7
4.3
2.4
1.7
2.7
3.6
3.5
-
65.5 3
Trial mean 2140
1880
2000
2110
2180
2060
98
1. From IPMHT-1
2. HB 3
3. NHB 3
124