caa a22 4500 445324678 CHVBK 20180317142716.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110701xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10681-011-0387-0 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10681-011-0387-0 Gene effects and heterosis for grain iron and zinc density in pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br) [Elektronische Daten] [G. Velu, K. Rai, V. Muralidharan, T. Longvah, J. Crossa] Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a major warm-season cereal, grown primarily for grain production in the arid and semi-arid tropical regions of Asia and Africa. Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies have been reported to be a food-related primary health problem affecting nearly two billion people worldwide. Improving Fe and Zn densities of staple crops by breeding offers a cost-effective and sustainable solution to reducing micronutrient malnutrition in resource poor communities. An understanding of the genetics of these micronutrients can help to accelerate the breeding process, but little is known about the genetics and heterosis pattern of Fe and Zn densities in pearl millet. In the present study, ten inbred lines and their full diallel crosses were used to study the nature of gene action and heterosis for these micronutrients. The general combining ability (GCA) effects of parents and specific combining ability (SCA) effects of hybrids showed significant differences for both of the micronutrients. However, the predictability ratio (2σ2gca/(2σ2gca+σ2sca)) was around unity both for Fe and Zn densities, implying preponderance of additive gene action. Further, highly significant positive correlation between mid-parent values and hybrid performance, and no correlation between mid-parent values and mid-parent heterosis confirmed again the predominant role of additive gene action for these micronutrients. Barring a few exceptions with one parent, hybrids did not outperform the parents having high Fe and Zn levels. This showed that there would be little opportunity, if any, to exploit heterosis for these mineral micronutrients in pearl millet. In general, high Fe and Zn levels in both of the parental lines would be required to increase the probability of breeding high Fe and Zn hybrids. Springer Science+Business Media B.V., 2011 Combining ability nationallicence Grain iron and zinc density nationallicence Gene action nationallicence Heterosis nationallicence Pearl millet nationallicence Pennisetum glaucum nationallicence Velu G. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apdo. Postal 6-641, 06600, Mexico, DF, México aut Rai K. International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), 502324, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India aut Muralidharan V. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, 641003, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India aut Longvah T. National Institute of Nutrition, 500007, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India aut Crossa J. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apdo. Postal 6-641, 06600, Mexico, DF, México aut Euphytica Springer Netherlands 180/2(2011-07-01), 251-259 0014-2336 180:2<251 2011 180 10681 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-011-0387-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-011-0387-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Velu G. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apdo. Postal 6-641, 06600, Mexico, DF, México aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Rai K. International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), 502324, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Muralidharan V. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, 641003, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Longvah T. National Institute of Nutrition, 500007, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Crossa J. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apdo. Postal 6-641, 06600, Mexico, DF, México aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Euphytica Springer Netherlands 180/2(2011-07-01), 251-259 0014-2336 180:2<251 2011 180 10681 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer