CHANNAKESHAVA, B. C.VITTHAL, CHABBI2017-08-042017-08-042015-07-10Th-11093http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810027374Field and laboratory experiments were conducted at G.K.V.K, Bengaluru during kharif-2014 to study the effect of seed fortification and temperature tolerance in finger millet varieties. Twelve popular varieties of finger millet were screened for thermo tolerance and susceptibility by employing Temperature Induction Response (TIR) technique. The varieties PES-110 and KJNS-52 fortified with seed fortification treatments in field experiment. The crop was sown at 30 x 10 cm spacing and replicated thrice in a Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design. The observations on growth, seed yield and quality were recorded. Variety PES-110 possessing higher seedling survival (91.66 %) with lesser reduction in recovery growth of root and shoot (43.15_% and 38.17_%) and was identified as temperature tolerant compare to thermo-sensitive variety KJNS-52 with less per cent seedling survival (50_%). Laboratory studies revealed that seed fortification with 100 ppm CaCl2 subjected to high temperature (53° C for 2hr) recorded highest seed quality attributes viz., germination (43.46_%), total seedling length (11.62_cm), SVI-I (546) and II (58). In field experiment study seed fortification with 1_% KH2PO4 recorded higher growth and yield parameters viz., plant height (105.28_cm), lesser days to 50_% flowering (70.50), ear head weight (26.98_g/plant), seed yield (2941.84_Kg/ha) and higher seed quality attributes viz., germination (93_%), mean seedling length (15.64_cm), seedling dry weight (1.24_mg), SVI-I_&_II (1116 & 115, respectively). Meanwhile, PES-110 fortified with 1_% KH2PO4 recorded 33_% increased seed yield/ha over KJNS-52 control. Under high temperature stress (53° C) the variety PES-110 with 100 ppm CaCl2 recorded higher thermo tolerance compare to other treatments.ennullThesis