Book Description

Ergot (Claviceps fusiformes) is an important disease affecting pear millet (Pennesitum glaucum). Host-plant resistance has been central to the disease management strategies at ICRISAT Center, and accordingly the identification, utilization, and deployment of resistance to ergot has been a major objective of pearl millet improvement research. This bulletin summarizes research work done at ICRISAT since 1977, which has led to the development of an effective field screening technique, based on a proper understanding of pathogen biology and disease epidemiology, and the role of pollination in ergot infection and resistance identification development of ergot resistance source, determination of the stability of resistance, and utilization of some of these sources of resistance to breed agronomically elite ergot-resistance materials, especially hybrid seed parents.