HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hanna, W. W. Articles by Dujardin, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hanna, W. W. Articles by Dujardin, M. Agricola Articles by Hanna, W. W. Articles by Dujardin, M.

Apomictic Interspecific Hybrids Between Pearl Millet and Pennisetum orientale L. C. Rich¹

Pearl millet, Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke, is an important world food and forage crop. Pennisetum orientale L. C. Rich has genes for apomixis, perennial growth habit, pest resistance, and droughtolerance which could be used to improve pearl millet. The objectives of this research Were to determine the cytotaxonomic relationship of these two species and to explore the feasibility of interspecific germplasm transfer. Five interspecific hybrids, 2n = 25, with 7 large P. americanum millet (A) and 18 small P. orientale (0) chromosomes were produced by pollinating cytoplasmic male sterile pearl millet with P. orientale pollen. The O chromosomes paired mainly as bivalents and the A chromosomes remained as univalents. A low frequency of AO chromosome associations were observed. Although the possibility of germplasm exchange existed, the two species appeared to be not closely related. Among three hybrids examined, one was a facultative apomict, one was an obligate apomict and another was highly apomictic with 3% of ovules with sexual embryo sacs. Sixteen backcross progenies were established from interspecific hybrids pollinated with pearl millet pollen. Seven plants were 2n = 23 with 14 A + 9 0 chromosomes, five were 2n = 27 with 7 A + 20 O chromosomes and four were 2n = 32 with 14 A and 18 O chromosomes. The balanced chromosome number for both species in these latter plants should provide a mechanism for restoring fertility in the interspecific hybrid thus enabling germplasm transfer. The interspecific hybrids were male sterile but set about 1% seed when pollinated with pearl millet pollen.

Key Words: Pinnisetum americanum • Germplasm • Chromosomes • Embryo sac

² Research Geneticist, USDA-ARS, and the Univ. of Georgia, College of Agricultural Exp. Stns., Coastal Plain Station, Agronomy Dep., Tifton, GA 31793; and Post Doctoral Associate, Univ. of Georgia, College of Agriculture Exp. Stns., Coastal Plain Station, Agronomy Dep., Tifton, GA 31793.

Received for publication November 2, 1981.