Mil Pénicillaire [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]
Pearl millet is a cross pollinating, diploid (2n=2x=14) annual with haploid genome size of 2450 Mbp.
Pearl millet is annually grown cereal on more than 29 m ha in
the arid and semi-arid tropical regions of Asia, Africa and Latin
America.
India
India is the largest producer of pearl millet, both in terms
of area (9.3 m ha) and production
(8.3 m ton) (Figure 1). As compared to the early 1980s, the pearl
millet area in India declined by 19%, but production increased
by 28%, owing to a 64% increase in productivity (from
about 450 kg ha-1 to 870 kg ha-1 during
2005-07).
Figure 1. Three-year moving average for pearl millet area, production and grain yield; and number of varieties released (3-year total) based on ICRISAT-bred material in India.
Sixty-three cultivars (14 OPVs and 49 hybrids) have been released in India that have significant input from ICRISAT.
Pearl millet hybrids are grown in about 3.0 m ha (out of 9.3 m ha) area. Based on recent survey results, more than 80 hybrids (by name) were reportedly cultivated in 2006. Of these about 50 hybrids are based on ICRISAT-bred parental lines. These hybrids cover about 30% of the total pearl millet area, with improved OPVs occupying another 0.6 to 0.8 million ha.
This enormous cultivar diversity since 1990 has contributed
not only to increased productivity, but it also has halted the
recurrence of any downy mildew epidemics earlier witnessed quite
often on pearl millet hybrids in India.
Western and central Africa (WCA)
The West and Central African (WCA) region has the largest area
under millets in Africa
(15.7 m ha), of which more than 90% is pearl millet. Since 1982,
the millet area in WCA has increased by 91% (up from 8.2 to 15.7
m ha) and productivity by 12% (up from 800 to
900 kg ha-1), leading to 130% increase in production
(up from 6.1 to 14.1 7 m t) (Figure 2). Thus, most of the increase
in production has come from increase in cultivated area.
Figure 2. Three-year moving average for pearl millet area, production and grain yield; and number of varieties released (3-year total) based on ICRISAT-bred material in Western and Central Africa (WCA).
Research in WCA has concentrated on OPV development, although
hybrids in WCA are likely to have similar grain yield advantage
over OPVs. Eighteen OPVs, developed by ICRISAT in partnership
with NARS, have been released and adopted in nine countries in
the region. Total varietal releases in WCA are 34, as some of
the 18 OPVs were released in more than one country. For instance,
the most popular variety SOSAT-C88 has been released in six countries,
while another popular variety GB 8735 has been released in four
countries. Lack of seed production in the region has been a major
bottleneck in spread of improved cultivars.
Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)
Pearl millet is cultivated on about 2 m ha in eastern and southern Africa. Sixteen OPVs developed by ICRISAT in partnership with NARS, have been released in 10 countries in the region. Of these, ICMV 88908 (renamed as Okashana 1) has been released in more than one country. Okashana 1 and Okashana 2, supported with seed production, have resulted in large-scale adoption, covering more than 50% of the total pearl millet area in Namibia. Oka is another variety that was released and adopted in Tanzania. ICMV 221, developed at ICRISAT, Patancheru in India was released and adopted in Kenya and Eritrea.
Similar to the situation in WCA, lack of seed production continues to be the major bottleneck in varietal spread in the ESA region.
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