Feasibility of breeding male-sterile populations for use in developing interpopulation hybrids of pearl millet

Inter-population hybrids of pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br., h ave a substantial grain yield advantage over open-pollinated varieties that makes them an appropriate and economically viable proposition for many Afr ican agricultural situations, provided that stable male-sterile populations can be developed for use as seed parents. The objective of this research w as to examine the feasibility of breeding stable male-sterile populations, using the d(2) dwarf version of Nigerian Composite NCD2 and the A(4) cytopl asmic-nuclear male sterility system as a test case. Results showed that two cycles of recurrent selection for sterility maintenance ability led to the development of a fully effective maintainer version of NCD2. There was no significant difference between the original C-0 cycle bulk and the C-3 cycl e bulk (developed from the third and final cycle of recurrent selection) fo r grain yield and other agronomic traits. The male-sterile population at th e third backcross stage, developed from the maintainer version of NCD2, had as high a level of stable male sterility as the A(1) system commercial inb red male-sterile line 841A(1). Thus, it is concluded that with the use of t he A(4) cytoplasmic male-sterile system, it would be possible rapidly to de velop a maintainer version of any population without detrimental effects on grain yield and agronomic traits. Male sterility of populations developed From these maintainers will be highly stable, paving the way for their effe ctive utilization as seed parents in breeding inter-population hybrids.