Pearl Millet, Origin, Domestication, Crop wild relatives, Gene Pool and Genetic Resources

1. A. Manivannan
Scientist (Genetics)
Directorate of Maize Research
New Delhi
Pearl Millet Origin, Domestication, Wild
Species, Gene Pool and Genetic Resources

2. Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
Superdivision: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: Commelinidae
Order: Cyperales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Pennisetum
Species: glaucum
Taxonomical Classification of Pearl Millet

3. Pennisetum Sections (Stapf and C.E.Hubb)
Gymnotrix (22 sp)
Pennisetum (2 sp)
Penicillaria (7 sp)
Heterostachya (2 sp)
Brevivalvula (3 sp)
Synonyms for Pennisetum glaucum, include Pennisetum typhoides,
Pennisetum typhoidis, Pennisetum typhoideum, Pennisetum americanum,
Setaria glauca, Setaria lutescens, Panicum americanum, and Panicum
glaucum. but Pennisetum glaucum is the current officially accepted name.
Common names : bulrush millet, cat tail millet, candle millet, petit-millet

4. Basic sets X= 5,7,8,9
Number range 2n= 10-72
X=5
Lowest chromosome in P.ramosum ( 2n=2x=10)
X=7
P.glaucum (2n=2x=14)
P.schweinfurthii (2n=2x=14) – Wild of Pearl millet
P.purpureum (2n=4x=28)
X=8
P.massaicum (2n=16-32 )
X=9
All other species are having X=9
Highest chromosome in P.tempisquense ( 2n=2x=72)
Annual, Perennial, Sexual , A sexual and Apomitic species
CHROMOSOME CLASSIFICATION

5. Species x 2n Reproductive behaviour
Pennisetum sect. Pennisetum†
P. clandestinum 9 36 APO, SEX
P. flaccidum 9 18, 36 APO, SEX
P. foermeranum – –
P. glaucum 7 14 SEX
P. orientale 9 36, 45 APO, SEX
P. purpureum 7 27, 28 APO, SEX
P. setaceum 9 27, 54, 68 APO
P. sieberianum – –
P. villosum 9 18, 27, 36, 45, 54 APO
P. violaceum 7 14 SEX
Pennisetum sect. Heterostachya†
P. schweinfurthii 7 14 SEX
P. squamulatum 7 54, 56 APO
Pennisetum sect. Brevivalvula†
P. pedicellatum
9
24, 30, 32, 35, 36, 42, 45, 48,
53, 54
APO
P. polystachion subsp. polystachion
9
18, 24, 32, 36, 45, 48, 52, 53,
54, 56, 63, 78
APO
Chemisquy M A et al. Ann Bot 2010;106:107-130
Pennisetum spp Grouping

9. (a), P. alopecuroides
(b), P. hohenackeri
(c), P. mollissimum
(d), P. mezianum
(e), P. orientale
(f), P. pedicelletum
(g), P. polystachyon
(h), P. purpurem

10. (i), P. ramosum (j), P. schweinfurthii (k), P. Setaceum (l), P. squamulatum (m)P.
villosum

11. Hash et al., 2011

12. ORIGIN

13. 4500 years old Fossil remenants of Pearl millet seed found at Tilemsi Valley- Mali

15. JereBrunken,J.M.J.deWetANDJ.R.Harlan,1971
Origin of Pennisetum spp
1. Ethiopian
(N.I.Vailo,1949)
2. Niger
(Murdock,1959)
3. Sahel
zone(Harlan,1971)
4. High land of Sahara
(Clarke,1964)

16. Fuller D Q Ann Bot 2007;100:903-924

18. Oumar et al., TAG, (2008) 117:489–497

19. Oumar et al., TAG, (2008) 117:489–497

20. Pearl millet cultivated samples formed a monophyletic group in
the eco-geo- graphical phylogenetic tree and presented only one
homogeneous group in the principal component analysis.
Oumar et al., TAG, (2008) 117:489–497

21. Our phylogeny and principal component analysis showed that the wild plants
from eastern Mali through north western Niger are the closest to the cultivated
group.
These wild populations span the area from the interior delta of Niger to the Air
Mountains. This result suggests that the cradle of pearl millet domestication
might be located somewhere in this rather large region.
A previous study based on iso-enzyme suggested a most western origin of
pearl millet domestication in Mauritania and Western Mali (Tostain 1992).
Mali and western Niger as the possible regions of domestication of pearl millet,
but this result should be regarded with caution. Climate and human settlement
have changed in Africa in the last 8,000 years

22. DOMESTICATION

23. Domesticated Millet Ear and spike let

24. Reduction in pedicle length
Non shattering involucar
Paired spikelets
Increased grain size
Reduction of bristle length and awn size
Domestication Syndrome In Pearl Millet

26. Domestication of Pearl millet

27. Remigereauetal.,2011

28. Mono-culm of Domesticated Pearl Millet
Remigereau et al., 2011

29. DISTRIBUTION

32. A synoptic geography of early agricultural developments and precursors in Africa.
Fuller D Q Ann Bot 2007;100:903-924

33. Geographical Distribution of various important traits specific Germplams

37. GENE POOL

38. Primary Secondary Tertiary
P. glaucum subspp.
glacum cultivars
and landraces
P. purpureum
All other species in
the genus
P. glaucum subsp.
Monodii ( Wild
annual)
P. squamulatum
P. glaucum subsp.
Stenostachyum
( Weedy form)
Gene Pool
C.Kole, 2011

40. Chinese Fountain Grass -Pennisetum alopecuroides

41. Pennisetum setaceum – Crimson Foundation Grass

42. Crimson fountain Grass- P. setaceum, Introduced to America from
Arabic and Africa as a ornamental grass

43. Pennisetum setaceum

44. Pennisetum pedicellatum in ICRISAT Campus, Hyderabad, AP

45. Pennisetum villosum - Feathertop

46. Pennisetum ciliare

47. Pennisetum clandestinum- Kikuyu Grass

48. Kikuyu tribes of Kenya
Introduced to America

49. Pennisetum orientale- Oriental Grass Nursery Garden

50. Pennisetum squamulatum

51. Pennisetum purpurem –Napier Grass

52. PGR

53. Rai et al., 1997

54. Germplasm collection at ICRISAT, Hyderabad
Agency Active
collection
Base
Collection
Accessions
held in trust
ICRISAT, Hyderabad 21594 20343 21563
Backup collection at
ICRISAT, Regional
Station, Niamey,
Niger
5205
Svalbard Global
Seed Vault (SGSV)
~1000

55. Wild Species Genes of Agronomic Importance (GAI)
P. orientale Pest resistance, Winter hardiness, Drought
tolerance
P. glaucum ssp monodii Leaf spot resistance, Striga resistance
P. squamalatum Apospory-Specific Genomic Region (ASGR)
P. glaucum ssp. violaceum Av CMS, A4 CMS
P .pedicellatum, P.polystachion,
P.schweinfurthii
Downy mildew resistance
Utilization of CRW

56. Pennisetum purpureum (Napier grass)
rhizomatous & perennial
P.purpureum is with desirable traits
Resistance to most of the pests and diseases
Vigorous growth
Outstanding forage yield potential
Bajra Napier- Forage value
P.glaucm X P.purpureum complex crosses are possible
Napier grass readily crosses with pearl millet and
produces sterile triploid hybrids produces sterile triploid hybrids
FORAGE VALUE OF PEARL MILLET

60. Pca21 and Pca24, were identified to play a
role during apomictic development in
Pennisetum ciliare or Cenchrus ciliaris (
Singh et al., 2007), although they can be
inherited independently of the ASGR.
Apospory-Specific Genomic Region (ASGR)

61. Sequence conservation of tb 1ortholog in Course Cereal
Remigereau et al., 2011

63. Dwarfing Genes (d1, d2)

64. Thank You