ASSIMILATE PARTITIONING IN PEARL-MILLET (PENNISETUM-GLAUCUM LRBR)

Assimilate partitioning in plant parts as measured by the dry matter accumulation pattern among 12 pearl millet genotypes were compared in two years under different environmental conditions. There was an uniform pattern of assimilate partitioning in stem, leaf and ear-head at the panicle emergence and anthesis (50% flowering) stage. At panicle emergence stage, more than or equal to 40% of the total dry matter is partitioned to the stem portions. The amount of assimilates in the ear-head at anthesis stage is equivalent to that of the harvest index (HI) of the pearl millet plant. Grain filing period did not affect the HI in the tested pearl millet genotypes. These criteria can be utilised for genetic manipulations and to predict grain yield as early as anthesis stage for improving pearl millet genotypes under variable climatic conditions.