SCREENING OF PEARL MILLET GERMPLASM AGAINST RUST CAUSED BY PUCCINIA SUBSTRIATA VAR. PENICILLARIAE
ANNU*, KUSHAL RAJ, POOJA SANGWAN AND NARENDER SINGH
Department of Plant Pathology
CCS Haryana Agricultural University,
Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : vermaannu06@gmail.com)
(Received : 21 November 2016; Accepted : 23 December 2016)
SUMMARY
Rust caused by Puccinia substriata var. penicillariae is one of the major diseases affecting both food grain and forage production in pearl millet. In order to find out economical and cost effective method to manage the disease, attempts were made to identify resistance sources against rust by screening of germplasm. The field screening involved the use of a highly susceptible line as infector row grown after every three test rows under natural epiphytotic conditions. Observations on rust severity were recorded at grain filling stage. In all, 228 entries of coordinated trials, none of the entries was free from rust severity, 10 entries showed 0.1-20 per cent rust severity, 48 entries showed 20.1-40 per cent rust severity, 80 entries showed 40.1-60 per cent rust severity, 67 entries showed 60.1-80 per cent rust severity and 23 entries showed more than 90 per cent rust severity. Amongst 276 entries of state trials, 39 entries were free from rust severity, 188 entries showed 0.1-20 per cent rust severity, 71 entries showed 20.1-40 per cent rust severity, 15 entries showed 40.1-60 per cent rust severity, two entries showed 60.1-80 per cent rust severity and none of the entries showed more than 80 per cent rust severity.
Key words: Ruse, disease, germplasm, pearlmillet