Physiological evaluation of promising pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br) Hybrids

Abstract

Five promising pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) hybrids viz., DHBH-1203, 86M33, RHRBH-9808, PROAGRO-9450 and DHBH-9071 were evaluated for physiological analysis of growth and yield variation in RBD with four replications at MPKV, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar during kharif, 2014. The data on morpho-physiological parameters was recorded periodically, while yield and yield contributing characters were recorded at harvest. Physiological basis for grain yield differences amongst the high and low yielding hybrids was mainly due to the variation in morpho-physiological traits viz. plant height, number of tillers plant-1, leaf area plant-1, leaf area index, flag leaf area, stomatal conductance, total dry matter plant-1, ear head length, ear head girth, number of productive tillers plant-1, grain yield plant-1, biomass production, and harvest index. Most of the characters showed positive relation to the mean grain yield. It was observed that initial growth was rather slow and was rapid between 30 and 60 DAS, thereafter it increased at static phase. These periods confirms the lag, log and senescence phases of growth, respectively. The leaf area was highest at 60 DAS and it declined with time. The hybrids RHRBH-9808 and DHBH-1203 were found superior for morpho-physiological traits and for yield and yield contributing characters. Therefore, emphasis would be given on these morpho-physiological characters for developing of high yielding hybrids. The correlation coefficient (r) calculated in this study revealed highly positive significant correlation among yield and yield contributing parameters such as number of productive tillers, ear head length, ear head girth, biological yield, harvest index and grain yield (kg plot-1).