Identification of high yielding finger millet RILs with wide/specific adaptation

Abstract

Finger millet (Elucine coracana L. Gaertn), is one of the most important cereals in the sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. Finger millet in India is grown in a wide range of agro-climatic zones which are highly variable resulting in complex genotype (G) × environment (E) interactions (I). Significant GEI challenge the breeders to identify genotypes suitable for a wide range of environments/specific environments. Twelve selected recombinant inbred lines (RILs) along with four checks were evaluated to characterize genotype × location interaction (GLI) and identify those that are widely/specifically adapted. The AMMI ANOVA showed significant mean squares due to genotype, location and GLI for days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, finger length and grain yield plant-1. Near perfect fit of interaction principal component (IPC)1 and IPC2 to the total GLI variation for most of the traits suggested a good approximation of the bi-plot with respect to the patterns of GLI and good predictability of RIL performance across four locations. The RILs such as RIL-3, RIL-104, RIL-143, RIL-183 and RIL-303 were found widely adapted. The RILs such as RIL-104, RIL-94, RIL-185 and RIL-302 were found specifically adapted to GKVK, Bengaluru and RIL-143 to Mandya for grain yield plant-1.