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Department of Agronomy, Univ. of Nebraska, P.O. Box 830915, Lincoln, NE 68583-0915
* Corresponding author (idweikat2{at}unl.edu)
NPM-8 pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] (Reg. no. GP-38, PI 634549), a dwarf grain germplasm with long panicles containing restorer genes for the A1 (Burton, 1958) and A4 (Hanna, 1989) cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterile (cms) cytoplasm systems, was released in January 2004 by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.
NPM-8 was derived from the Nigerian Dwarf Composite (NCD2) germplasm (Rai et al., 1995) by selection of dwarf phenotypes adapted to eastern Nebraska conditions and primarily represents pooled diversity from Nigerian and West African long panicle landraces converted to a dwarf plant background. NCD2 grown in Nebraska produces predominately very late, medium tall (120–180 cm) phenotypes with significant panicle lodging. A 1990 isolation of NCD2 grown at Mead, NE, was selected for maturity and medium dwarf plants. Open pollinated selections of five plants were bulked and grown at Lincoln in 1991. Twenty-nine medium dwarf self pollinated S1 selections from Lincoln nursery were advanced for random mating with equal maternal representation at Mead in 1992. Ten S1 families were selected with less than 40% lodging, 135 cm height or less, and medium to long head length. The open pollinated bulks of the ten families were random mated with equal maternal representation at Mead from 1993 to 1995 with continued selection for dwarf plants, panicle length, and lodging resistance. In the 1996 isolation, the best two individual dwarf plants of the 10 families were self-pollinated. The progeny from these selections were random mated in 1997 with equal maternal representation. Open-pollinated selection for dwarf plants, long panicle, and lodging resistance was continued in 1998 through 2001 isolations. Final selections were made in 2001, and harvested seed was bulked for release.
NPM-8 topcrosses were obtained by planting male sterile lines in the 2001 isolation plot. NPM-8 and its topcrosses were planted on 1 June, 15 June, and 2 July 2002. Male fertility (pollen shedding) counts showed averages of 56 to 73% restoration of two A1 cms lines and 3 to 11% restoration of an A4 cms line. Pollen shedding counts of NPM-8 indicated all plants were male fertile.
NPM-8 is a dwarf, medium maturing, tillering germplasm that averages between 98-123 cm height at maturity. It flowers between 57 and 66 d after early June to early July plantings at Mead and has a 5- to 10-d range between first plants flowering and average flowering dates for the germplasm. Grain yields from 1620 to 2910 kg ha–1 have been recorded. Hybrids with three seed parents exhibited heterosis levels of 40 to 158% among three planting dates, with a best hybrid yield of 4709 kg ha–1. Seed of NPM-8 is gray in color, variable in shape with a size range of 4.8 to 11.3 g/1000. Panicles vary from 24- to 45-cm length and 1.7- to 2.5-cm diameter and have good exertion. When grown at Mead, the mean panicle length of NPM-8, 31.0 cm, was significantly longer than the mean length of NPM-1, NPM-2 (Andrews et al., 1995), and NPM-3 (Andrews and Rajewski, 1995), 19.6, 18.7, and 23.0 cm, respectively, across three planting dates. Insect and disease reaction of NPM-8 have not been determined.
NPM-8 provides an adapted germplasm source of predominantly West African background from which dwarf lines with long panicles can be derived for use in the A1 and A4 cms systems as R1–lines (male parents) or A4–lines (seed parents) for producing medium maturing dwarf grain hybrids. Limited yield performance tests of NPM-8 topcross hybrids indicates that the germplasm has good combining ability for grain yield with medium and early maturity seed parents.
Seeds of NPM-8 are available for research purposes from the Department of Agronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of this germplasm was partially funded by USAID Grant No. DAN 1254-G-00-0021-00 through INTSORMIL by Program Support Grant No. AID-DSAN-XII-G-0124.
NOTES
Journal Article No.14538 by Univ. of Nebraska Agric. Res. Div. Registration by CSSA.
Accepted for publication April 30, 2004.
REFERENCES
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