Pearl Millet Blast Pathogen Virulence Study and Identification of Resistance Donors on Virulent Isolate

Abstract

Pearl Millet leaf Blast caused by Pyricularia grisea [teleomorph: Magnaporthe grisea], is spreading at an alarming rate in the major Pearl millet growing geographies of India effecting grain yield and green fodder yield. Blast isolates collected from Jaipur, Alwar and Toopran regions of India and virulence study conducted to identify the most virulent isolate among the three isolates. Artificial screening for Blast conducted on a raised bed method utilising uniform Blast Nursery (UBN) method. Eleven Pearl Millet genotypes (ICMB01333, ICMB03444, ICMB03555, ICMB06111, ICMB95444, ICMB11666, ICMB14333, ICMB14666, ICMB97111, ICMR12888 and ICMR06444) were screened with three blast isolates utilising artificial screening method. Among the eleven genotypes, ten genotypes were showing susceptible to Jaipur isolate indicating that the Jaipur isolate having highest virulence among the three isolates. To identify Blast resistant donors for Jaipur isolate, a set of 93 genotypes containing of 45 maintainer lines and 48 restorer lines were screened under both UBN and field conditions (Jaipur, Rajasthan). Among all the lines evaluated, five lines are showing resistant reaction for Jaipur isolate with disease score less than 1.9. ICMR06444 from restorer background and IC414K14B5, IC594K16B5, RBB037 and IC6912K18B from maintainer background are identified as resistant lines. Identified lines can be utilised in pearl millet hybrid breeding programme.

Keywords

• pearl millet
• blast
• screening
• restorer
• maintainer
• resistance