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Combining ability and hybrid breeding in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) for agronomic traits and resistance to Striga hermonthica

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Abstract

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br., 2n = 2x = 14) is a nutrient-dense and climate-resilient crop widely cultivated in the dry regions of Africa and Asia. In Burkina Faso, the actual mean yield of the crop is < 1 ton/ha compared with a potential yield of 3 tons/ha. Several constraints, including cultivar susceptibility to the noxious weed Striga hermonthica (Del.) Bentham (Sh) and severe and recurrent drought stress limit the potential productivity of the crop. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the combining ability effects and degree of heterosis for agronomic traits and resistance to Sh among complementary pearl millet genotypes to select promising parental lines and hybrids to develop and deploy farmer-preferred varieties. The narrow-and broad-sense heritability were relatively higher for Striga-resistance (≥ 70%) and low (≤ 23%) for grain yield. The general combining ability and specific combining ability ratios were less than unity for agronomic traits and Striga reaction indicating the predominance of non-additive gene action conditioning the assessed traits. The new experimental hybrids such as IP-11358 × ICMB177111, IP-11358 × IKMB18002, IP-10579 × ICMB177002 and IP-9242 × ICMB177002 are recommended for multi-environment evaluation and production in Sh-infested pearl millet cultivation agro-ecologies in Burkina Faso or similar agro-ecologies.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) is acknowledged for the administration work that facilitated the first author’s study. The authors would furthermore like to thank the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

Funding

The research was funded by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) through the ‘Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement (HOPE II) for Sorghum and Millets in sub-Saharan Africa’ project (OPP1198373), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. African Centre for Crop Improvement, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa

    Armel Rouamba, Hussein Shimelis, Emmanuel Mrema, Jacob Mashilo & Learnmore Mwadzingeni

  2. Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research, 01 BP 476, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    Armel Rouamba

  3. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), P.O. Box 3320, Escale Thiès, Senegal

    Inoussa Drabo

  4. Tumbi Center, Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute, P.O. Box 306, Tabora, Tanzania

    Emmanuel Mrema

  5. Seed Co Limited, 1 Shamwari Road, Stapleford, Westage, P.O. Box WGT 64, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Learnmore Mwadzingeni

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  1. Armel Rouamba
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  2. Hussein Shimelis
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  3. Inoussa Drabo
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  4. Emmanuel Mrema
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  5. Jacob Mashilo
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  6. Learnmore Mwadzingeni
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Contributions

AR: Methodology, data collection, data analysis, and Writing of the manuscript draft. HS: Supervision, writing conceptualization, review, and editing. ID: Guided experiment designing, writing, reviewing and editing. EM: Reviewing and editing. JM: Reviewing and editing. LM: Reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Armel Rouamba.

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Rouamba, A., Shimelis, H., Drabo, I. et al. Combining ability and hybrid breeding in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) for agronomic traits and resistance to Striga hermonthica. Euphytica 220, 62 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-024-03320-7

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