Screening of Pearl Millet Lines against Downy Mildew Incited by Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) J. Schrot in Madhya Pradesh, India

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is the oldest cultivated crop prone to attack by many pathogens viz., Sclerospora graminicola, Moesziomyces penicillariae and Puccinia substriata. The present investigation is on the management of the downy mildew pathogen by exploiting the resistance mechanism of the host. Out of 163 lines and two checks were tested against downy mildew disease. The germplasms were screened in the downy mildew sick plot. The finding exposes that 40 lines were never present of downy mildew and another 68 lines showed < 5% and > 10% downy mildew incidence was recorded in 23 lines and remaining 33 lines were recorded in the category of 5-10% incidence, while a maximum of 83.27 and 97.05% downy mildew incidence was noted in 7042-S at 30 and 60 days after sowing. When compared to all the test lines, the susceptible check 7042-S showed considerably greater incidence of downy mildew at 30 and 60 days. The present investigation suggests that the resistance in the Pearl millet germplasms can be exploited for the management of the pathogens and is an effective management practice with less use of inputs.