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Seed Set and d₂ Gene Effects on Pearl Millet Forage Quality¹

Tall and dwarf pearl millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke.] hybrids are commercially available and can be either cytoplasmic-genic male-sterile or fertile depending on whether the male parent is a restorer line. No information is available on the effects of seed set on forage quality in the tall and dwarf pearl millet hybrids. The purpose of this research was to study effects of seed set and the d₂ (dwarf) gene in in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) in pearl millet forage at anthesis and at 2 and 4 weeks after anthesis. In 1976 and 1977, forage samples were taken from pollinated and unpollinated cytoplasmicgenic male sterile tall and dwarf pearl millet growing in the field. Seed set did not affect IVDMD of the whole plant and leaf or stem components at 2 and 4 weeks after anthesis. Seed set reduced total sugars at 4 weeks after anthesis because of conversion of sugars to starch. Forage from dwarf plants was significantly higher in IVDMD than forage from tall plants; however, there were no differences in the leaf and stem components, which indicates that after anthesis, the higher IVDMD of the dwarf forage is due to the higher leaf percentage of the dwarf. Forage from tall pearl millet had significantly higher levels of total sugar, but significantly lower IVDMD than dwarf pearl millet, which indicates that the nonstructural carbohydrates were not responsible for the higher quality of forage from dwarf pearl millet.

Key Words: Dwarf • Pennisetum americanum L. • Total sugars • Starch • Quality • Genetic effects • Pollination

² Research geneticist, AR/SEA, USDA; chemist: and research agronomist, AR/SEA, USDA, respectively, all of the Univ. of Georgia, College of Agricultural Experiment Station, Coastal Plain Station, Tifton, GA 31794.

Received for publication April 9, 1979.

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