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RA 00110.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

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population improvement, three populations, TNSC1, TNSC2, and TNSC3 were bred at Tamil Nadu Agricultural<br />

University, Coimbatore. They were also tested as parents in the hybrid breeding program. TNSC1 and<br />

TNSC2 maintained sweetness and showed complete restoration in the hybrid combinations with three<br />

standard male-sterile lines. They also possess good agronomic characters. They will be evaluated further<br />

before being released as varieties.<br />

New Approaches in Forage Breeding in Pearl Millet<br />

(Nouvelles approches a la selection des mils fourragers)<br />

R.R. Vohra<br />

Research Manager, Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company Limited, S. Patel Road, Jalna, Maharashtra<br />

431 203, India<br />

An attempt was made to breed pearl millet hybrids exclusively for forage. Hybrid MBFH-1 (Mahyco Bajra<br />

Fodder Hybrid-1) has shown significant superior green fodder yield over improved varieties such as L-72 and<br />

L-74.<br />

Pearl millet fodder type hybrids are fast growing, and in two cuts can give about 501 ha -1 green fodder in<br />

75-80 d.<br />

Breeding Pennisetum pedicellatum for Forage<br />

(Selection de Pennisetum pedicellatum pour le fourrage)<br />

A.P. Singh, P.D. Narain, and S. Saran<br />

Ranchi Veterinary College, Kanke, Ranchi, Bihar 834 006, India<br />

Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin. is a grass species adapted to warm and humid conditions of the tropics and<br />

subtropics where its luxurious and nutritious herbage is used to feed animals. Both annual and perennial forms<br />

having 2n = 36, 48, and 54 were identified among 38 distinct morphological strains, although plants with 2n =<br />

30 and 53 were also encountered during the course of detailed cytological and embryological investigations.<br />

Since P. pedicellatum is essentially apomictic, varietal improvement programs were based on isolating types<br />

with more of the sexual rather than the usual aposporic embryo sacs among the facultative apomicts. Strains<br />

such as T22 were very promising and, as a result, are presently being extensively exploited to create the desired<br />

variability in forage attributes from among crosses between the so-called facultative apomicts with distinct<br />

genetic markers.<br />

Other tools being adopted are the induction of sexuality by regulating photoperiod responses and mutation<br />

breeding. Meiotic irregularities in the progenies seem to be of very little hindrance in advancing the generations<br />

once heterotic vigor and desired types have been isolated by clonal selection. This is because apomixis<br />

causes the genotypes to breed true.<br />

Correlation and factor analysis have indicated positive loading of factor 1 on fodder yield, branch number,<br />

tiller number, stem girth, and leaf number, while plant height and leaf length were influenced by factor 2.<br />

300

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