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Published in Crop Sci 25:79-81 (1985)
© 1985 Crop Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Morphological Characteristics and Genetics of Two Mutations for Early Maturity in Pearl White1

W. W. Hanna and G. W. Burton2

Mutations for early maturity can help cultivars escape adverse environmental conditions and fit into double cropping systems. The purpose of this research was to compare and describe the morphological characteristics and genetics of two mutations for early maturity which occurred in ‘Tift 23’ pearl millet, Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke, treated with either ethyl methane sulfonate or thermal neutrons. Each of the two mutations is controlled by a single recessive locus. The new mutations are assigned the gene symbols e1 and e2. Plants with the e1e1 genotype or the e1e2 genotype flowered in 49 and 38 days, respectively, after planting on 12 June compared to 76 days for Tift 23, the normal maturing counterpart. Both mutants had significantly (P<0.01) shorter plant height, shorter heads, and thinner stems than Tift 23. Significant differences between Tift 23 and the e1 and e2 mutants were also observed for flag leaf length, peduncle length, internode lengths, and internode number. Data showed that Tift 23 with the e1 genes till has the good combining ability of Tift 23. The e1 gene was associated with no detectable undesirable characteristics and could be readily used to develop new early maturing cultivars. Linkage tests showed the e1 locus to be independent of the d2 (dwarf) locus.

Key Words: Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke • Thermal neutrons • Ethyl methane sulfonate

1 Cooperative investigations of USDA-ARS and the Univ. of Georgia, College of Agric. Exp. Stns., Coastal Plain Exp. Stn., Agronomy Dep., Tifton, GA 31793. Study supported in part by the U.S. Dep. of Energy Contract no. DE-AS09-76-EV00637.

2 Research geneticists, USDA-ARS, and the Univ. of Georgia, College of Agric. Exp. Stns., Coastal Plain Exp. Stn., Agronomy Dep., Tifton, GA 31793.

Received for publication May 7, 1984.




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Copyright © 1985 by the Crop Science Society of America.