Assessment of Variation Water Stress Tolerance, Genetic Diversity and Quality Triats in Grain Pearl Millet(Pennisetum glaucum L.) Genotypes

Abstract

This research was conducted to study the variability under normal and stress watering conditions, genetic diversity by using RAPD markers and quality traits among thirty grain pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) genotypes. Two field experiments were conducted at Sudan University of Science and Technology, College of Agricultural Studies, Shambat, during two consecutive summer seasons of 2012 and 2013. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications based on split plot arrangements was used for the field experiments. Data was collected for ten growth and yield parameters included plant height (cm), number of leaves/plant, stem diameter (cm), leaf area (cm), Days to 50% flowering, panicle weight, number of grains \pancile, thousand seed weight (g) and grain yield ton/ha. Two different laboratory experiments were conducted, the first one to investigate genetic diversity among the thirty millet genotypes by using RAPD markers and the second one to investigate quality traits which included chemical compositions, mineral contents and physical properities of the thirty millet genotypes. The results of the separate and combined field experiments data showed that there were significant differences among most of studied traits for normal and stress watering conditions in the two seasons. Based on DNA molecular markers analysis, high level of polymorphism among genotypes was detected, indicating that the technique was efficient in determining the genetic diversity among millet genotypes. The results showed that there were significant differences between the 30 pearl millet genotypes for all the quality studied traits. The genotype HSD10319 scored the highest values grain yield of 2.51 and 2.90 ton\ha under water stress and normal watering, respectively. The means of the chemical compositions showed that, the highest values of protein (16.21%,), carbohydrates (68.63%), fiber (15.37%), moisture (7.05%), Fats (5.21%) and ash ( 1.70%) were obtained by the genotypes Dembi millet, HSD55555, Sudan II, Dembi Shangal Toby, HSD10294 and HSD10294, respectively.