RECOVERY RESISTANCE TO DOWNY MILDEW IN PEARL-MILLET PARENTAL LINES ICMA-1 AND ICMB-1

Downy mildew [Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) Schroet.] has been a maj or biotic factor affecting grain yield of pearl millet [Pennisetum gla ucum (L.) R.Br.] in India for the last 25 yr. Many downy mildew resist ant cultivars have been produced and several have been cultivated wide ly, but the vulnerability of their resistances to the disease has been a major cause of concern. Recovery resistance, in which the pathogen completes its life cycle without affecting the normal development of t he plant, has potential for providing durable resistance to the diseas e. A high level of recovery resistance (greater than or equal to 95%) was developed in ICMA 1 (81A, a leading male-sterile line in India) an d its maintainer line ICMB 1 (81B), through pedigree selection for fiv e generations. The recovery trait in the selected line, designated as RECRES 81A, was stable against the major pathotypes present in India. RECRES 81A is agronomically and phenotypically similar to 81A, produce s equally high yielding hybrids, and is being used to produce commerci al hybrids.