Selection of mutants with improved growth and total grain yield in the M2 generation of pearl millet (Pennicetum glaceum L.) in the northern region of Ghana

Abstract

Gamma rays are the most commonly used mutagen in mutation breeding, owing to its ability to induce mutations at relatively higher frequencies. In the present study, gamma irradiation techniques were applied to pearl millet (Var. Naara) in order to determine the response in terms of growth and total grain yield of the crop to the mutagen in Northern region of Ghana, which is located in the Guinea Savannah Agroecology. Seeds were irradiated with gamma rays at 100, 200 or 300 Gy. Irradiated seeds and some unirradiated control seeds were planted in randomized complete block design with four replications at the experimental field of the University for Development studies, Nyankpala in the Northern region of Ghana. Data were collected on increases in height of plants, number of tillers, number of productive tillers, earliness to flowering, head length, head width, seed weight and total grain yield. Plants that received mutagen doses such as 100 or 200 Gy revealed stimulatory effects for all characters studied in the segregating M2 generation relative to the control. Plants from the 300 Gy performed significantly similar in most of the characters measured as those subjected to 200 Gy. In general, superior strains were screened based on their growth rates and grain yield characteristics in the M2 for advancement to M3 generation. This study discusses the results of the M1 and M2 populations.