Performance and Interrelationship among Several Characters of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum typhoideum Rich.) Population

Abstract

Information regarding with population performance of pearl millet in Japan is scarce. Objectives of this research were: to evaluate performance of pearl millet population grown in late summer in Japan, to study the correlations and compensatory effects among characters, to determine the direct and indirect effects of characters to seed yield, and to determine the most important character (s) to seed yield. Results showed that the population had wide variability for the character measured. Some characters showed normal distribution. There were significant correlations between pairs of the characters. Seed yield significantly correlated to all of the characters, except mean of the panicle length. There were compensatory effects between several pairs of the characters. Counterbalance phenomena were found in interrelationship among characters. The number of productive panicles may be said as the most important character which influences to seed yield. Selection for high seed yield genotype through number of productive panicles as criterion is possible.