

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is grown for grain and stover in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa and the Indian sub-continent. In Eritrea, pearl millet is the second most important cereal in the country after sorghum and is grown by smallholder farmers on over 80,000 hectares, mainly in lowland and middle elevation regions. With no improved cultivars available until very recently, farmers grow exclusively traditional landraces, which have many preferred traits and a modest grain yield potential, but are generally susceptible to downy mildew.