IDENTIFICATION OF RAGI GENOTYPES FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE, HIGH YIELD AND SEED QUALITY PARAMETERS UNDER KHARIF RAINFED CONDITIONS

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Date
2016
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Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur
Abstract
The present investigation was aimed at evaluating the relative performance of ragi genotypes for physiological efficiency, drought tolerance, yield and grain quality attributes using various morpho-physiological and drought tolerance traits. A field experiment was conducted during Kharif, 2015 at Agricultural Research station (Millets), ANGRAU, Tirupati. Field experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design, replicated thrice with two main treatments i.e. adequately irrigated, rainfed and ten sub-treatments (genotypes). During the experiment a long dry spell for 20 days occurred i.e. from 47 DAS to 67 DAS, which has coincided with panicle initiation and flowering stages. Growth and physiological traits viz. plant height, dry matter accumulation in different plant parts, leaf area index (LAI) and leaf area duration (LAD), WUE traits (SLA, SCMR) and other drought tolerance traits viz., chlorophyll stability index (CSI), relative water content (RWC) significantly reduced 1.7 per cent at 45 DAS and 0.3 per cent at 75 DAS under rainfed conditions compared to irrigated control. Similarly yield components viz., number of tillers plant-1, number of fingers plant-1, 1000 grain weight, straw yield, harvest index as well as grain yields were significantly reduced in rainfed treatment compared to control. However grain quality attributes viz., calcium, iron, protein and crude fiber contents did not vary significantly. xvi Among the genotypes, the three pre-release genotypes viz., BR-36, PPR-1012 and PPR-2773 recorded high physiological efficiency in terms of LAI, drymatter distribution, LAD and moderate SLA and high SCMR, CSI and RWC along with higher HI and yield under ranifed as well as irrigated conditions. It denotes their efficiency in performing under drought condition. PPR 2885, PPR-1044, PPR-1040, PR-10-30, Srichaitanya and Vakula recorded moderate drought tolerance with moderate yielding abilities. Hima (released variety) recorded low performance and it will not fit for cultivation in rainfed areas. Grain quality attributes viz., Protein percent, Calcium, Iron and crude fiber contents were not significantly varied between treatments and genotypes. The present study reveals that there is sufficient genotypic variability among ragi genotypes for growth, drought tolerance, yield and its attributes. Drought tolerance parameters viz., SCMR, chlorophyll stability index, relative water content, leaf proline content are reliable for screening ragi genotypes for drought tolerance. Leaf area duration is very useful physiological trait for identification of drought tolerant genotypes in ragi crop.
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D5328
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