Screening of Pearl Millet Hybrids, Parents and their Performance in Hybrids against Blast Disease under Field Conditions

In pearl millet, incidence of blast disease caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc., has increased at a considerable rate in the recent past, especially on the commercial hybrids in various Pearl millet growing states of India. The experimental material comprised of five female lines, ten male (restorer) lines of pearl millet, their 50 hybrids developed by line × tester design and one standard check hybrid (GHB 1231). They were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications at Main Pearl Millet Research Station, J.A.U., Jamnagar during kharif 2023 for field screening of foliar blast disease. Among the total hybrids, 19 hybrids were found to be highly resistant, one was hybrid found resistant, 10 were hybrids found moderately resistant, 20 hybrids were found susceptible and none of the hybrid was found highly susceptible to blast. Crosses reveal that female parent decides blast reaction of their hybrids. Among the parents JMSA5 20212 is highly resistant against the foliar blast disease as well as high per se performance and good general combiner for all the characters