The presentation of treatment responses from block experiments after analysis of variance of transformed data

In pearl millet, severe water deficit during the period of panicle development delays flowering. The flowering response of both main shoot and tillers to water stress during panicle development was investigated using four hybrids. Panicle initiation of all tillers occurred in the three early genotypes despite water stress. In the late genotype, however, panicle initiation of tillers occurred only after the release of stress. The delay in flowering due to water stress was more pronounced in the tillers than in the main shoot. However, the proportion of tillers producing an inflorescence was increased by water stress. Grain yield losses on the main shoot by water stress were compensated by an increase in tiller grain yields. Delay in flowering and buffering by tillers provide an important adaptive mechanism to overcome a period of drought stress prior to flowering.     

Effect of the Duration of the Vegetative Phase on Shoot Growth, Development and Yield in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke)

Craufurd, P. Q. and Bidinger, F. R. 1988. Effect of the durationof the vegetative phase on shoot growth, development and yieldin pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke).–J.exp. Bot. 38: 124–139 The duration of the vegetative phase (DVP) in millet, whichis the major cause of variation in the crop duration, has markedeffects on the number of productive tillers per plant and onmainshoot (MS) and tiller grain yield. Daylength extensionswere used to vary the DVP and the effect on factors affectingpanicle (tiller) number per plant and panicle yield examinedin millet hybrid 841A x J104, grown in the field at Hyderabad,India. Tiller appearance, shoot leaf appearance and leaf area,and stem and panicle growth, in both MS and primary tillers(PTs), were monitored at frequent intervals over the season.At maturity grain yield per shoot was measured The concept of thermal time was used to describe shoot development.The rates of tiller appearance and shoot leaf appearance werelinearly related to thermal time and were not affected by DVPtreatments. The duration of the growth phase from panicle initiationto flowering (GS2) and from flowering to maturity (GS3) was320 and 390 degree days (°Cd), respectively. There was nodifference in rates of leaf or tiller appearance or developmentbetween MS and PTs. Tiller appearance, tiller leaf appearanceand tiller apical development all ceased at the same time inthe later initiated PTs, approximately 550 °Cd from sowing,shortly after rapid stem growth had begun. Tillers that didnot survive were all vegetative or in the early stages of reproductivedevelopment at this time The rate of accumulation of dry matter per plant was similarin all DVP treatments, but in the longer DVP treatments a greaterproportion of the dry matter was partitioned to the MS. Mainshootstem and panicle growth rates were increased by a longer DVP,as was grain yield on the MS, and these were related to increasedMS leaf area. Concurrently, growth rates and yields in laterinitiated tillers were reduced in relation to their leaf areas.Stem growth rate was proportionately increased more than paniclegrowth rate in the longer DVP treatments and this, combinedwith a longer duration of stem growth, resulted in greater stemdry matter at maturity and, therefore, in reduced harvest index.     

Quantitative trait loci associated with constitutive traits control water use in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

There is substantial genetic variation for drought adaption in pearl millet in terms of traits controlling plant water use. It is important to understand genomic regions responsible for these traits. Here, F₇ recombinant inbred lines were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and allelic interactions for traits affecting plant water use, and their relevance is discussed for crop productivity in water‐limited environments. Four QTL contributed to increased transpiration rate under high vapour pressure deficit (VPD) conditions, all with alleles from drought‐sensitive parent ICMB 841. Of these four QTL, a major QTL (35.7%) was mapped on linkage group (LG) 6. The alleles for 863B at this QTL decreased transpiration rate and this QTL co‐mapped to a previously detected LG 6 QTL, with alleles from 863B for grain weight and panicle harvest index across severe terminal drought stress environments. This provided additional support for a link between water saving from a lower transpiration rate under high VPD and drought tolerance. 863B alleles in this same genomic region also increased shoot weight, leaf area and total transpiration under well‐watered conditions. One unexpected outcome was reduced transpiration under high VPD (15%) from the interaction of two alleles for high VPD transpiration (LG 6 (B), 40.7) and specific leaf mass and biomass (LG 7 (A), 35.3), (A, allele from ICMB 841, B, allele from 863B, marker position). The LG 6 QTL appears to combine alleles for growth potential, beneficial for non‐stress conditions, and for saving water under high evaporative demand, beneficial under stressful conditions. Mapping QTL for water‐use traits, and assessing their interactions offers considerable potential for improving pearl millet adaptation to specific stress conditions through physiology‐informed marker‐assisted selection.     

Water,nutrients and slope position in on-farm pearl millet cultivation in the Sahel

In the Sahel, short periods of intra-seasonal drought, caused by unfavourable rainfall distribution, often have stronger effect on crop growth than fluctuations in annual rainfall. The interactive effects of nutrient deficiency and water shortage (during panicle initiation, flowering and grain filling) on yield and yield components of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.), were studied on-farm along a cultivated slope, during three years with close to average annual rainfall. Grain yield was correlated to plant nutrient availability but not to annual rainfall, which was explained by the capacity of the crop to compensate for damage caused by water shortage during early growth phases. The performance of each yield component was positively correlated to cumulative rainfall during the growth phase when it was formed. Leaf area index (LAI) was very low, and leaf development followed rainfall distribution. Water and nutrients interacted during each growth phase for all fertility levels. Fertilised millet suffered less during water shortage at panicle initiation and at grain filling compared to non-fertilised millet. However, compared to favourable soil water conditions yield components were systematically lower for all treatments, indicating the synergistic effect of water and nutrients. The results suggest that water availability plays an exclusive role during flowering. Grain number dropped significantly due to water shortage and was similar for all treatments. Despite extremely high spatial variability in yields (varying with a factor 46 within the field), a significant slope effect was observed, of progressively increasing yields when moving downslope. Spatial redistribution of surface runoff resulting in higher soil water availability on lower slope positions, contributed to the yield gradient, which was reinforced for fertilised millet. For each drought period, yield components suffered systematically more upslope than downslope. This slope effect was smoothed out for manured millet, which indicates that manure increased soil infiltrability on crusted zones upslope. The slope interaction observed here – indicating that downslope (i) the risk for crop failure during droughts is lower and (ii) the response to fertilisers is greater – suggests that farmers can benefit relatively more from fertilisers applied in lower parts of the watershed. Taking advantage of spatial soil and water variability is an interesting system of low technology precision farming, which combined with water harvesting systems to master droughts, can constitute options for increased crop yields in the Sahel.     

In vitro morphogenesis of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.]: efficient production of multiple shoots and inflorescences from shoot apices

 This report presents a procedure for high-frequency multiple shoot production from cultured shoot apical meristems of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]. Shoot apices from 1-week-old aseptically germinated seedlings were cultured in vitro on MS medium containing various concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and benzyladenine (BA) with biweekly subculture. A low concentration of 2,4-D coupled with four different concentrations of BA induced the production of adventitious shoots from the enlarged shoot apical meristems. Somatic embryogenesis was also observed at higher concentrations of BA. The use of higher levels of 2,4-D resulted in callusing of shoot apical meristems, while the shoot tips produced many leaves and in vitro flowering in 2,4-D-free media containing BA. All four pearl millet genotypes produced similar results. Fertile pearl millet plants were produced from in vitro-produced multiple shoots. Received: 1 April 1999 / Revision received: 8 July 1999 / Accepted: 17 August 1999     

A Quantitative Analysis of the Uptake of Carbon and of the Supply of 14C-labelled Assimilates to Areas of Meristematic Growth in Lolium temulentum

A quantitative analysis of the ¹⁴C-labelled assimilate suppliedby leaves on the main shoot to terminal meristem, stem, tillers,and roots was conducted during parallel periods of reproductiveand vegetative development in Lolium temulentum. The initial rate of entry of carbon into the shoot varied withthe area and photosynthetic efficiency of the assimilating leaf.Subsequently, respiratory losses of carbon during translocationand incorporation of assimilate at the site of utilization alsovaried. The combined effect of these differences resulted inthe supply of recently assimilated carbon being twofold greaterin reproductive shoots than in vegetative shoots, while withinshoots the carbon supply of the youngest fully expanded leafranged from four-or five-fold greater than the oldest leaf inyoung shoots, to two-or three-fold greater in older shoots.In both reproductive and vegetative shoots, the two or threeyoungest leaves thus dominated the supply of carbon for meristematicgrowth. Meristematic tissue in expanding leaves and leaf primordia atthe terminal meristem of the vegetative shoot received 18–27per cent of the total shoot carbon. This meristem utilized aboutthe same proportion of shoot carbon when it developed into aninflorescence, indicating no major change in the level of meristematicactivity. The proportion of shoot carbon utilized in stem growthincreased as both reproductive and vegetative shoots aged; thisincreased meristematic activity in stem internodes was accompaniedby reduced export of carbon to roots, which received less than10 per cent of the shoot carbon when the experiments ended.The main shoot translocated 20–30 per cent of its recentlyassimilated carbon to developing and rooted tillers, which assinks for carbon were thus as important as the terminal meristemand stem. This outward flow of carbon continued relatively uncheckedwhen donor and receptor shoots developed inflorescences.     

Hybrid performance and genetic distance as revealed by the (GATA)4 microsatellite and RAPD markers in pearl millet

 Genetic diversity in five cytoplasmic male-sterile and seven restorer lines of pearl millet was determined by DNA fingerprinting using a (GATA)₄ microsatellite and randomly amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs). A total of 160 polymorphic loci were generated and, based on the polymorphism data, similarity index values ranged from 0.81 to 0.50. Cluster analysis was performed and relationships among these lines revealed that they were not in agreement with the available pedigree data. The per se performance of parents and hybrids was analyzed for days-to-50% flowering, plant height, productive tillers, ear length, ear width, 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plot. Path co-efficient analysis revealed that productive tillers, ear width and days-to-50% flowering had a relatively large positive effect. The correlation values were mostly not significant with respect to genetic distance, except for days-to-50% flowering, ear length and ear width. Our results have indicated that genetic-distance measures based on the (GATA)₄ microsatellite and RAPDs may be useful for the grouping of parents, but not for predicting heterotic combinations, in pearl millet. Received: 3 January 1998 / Accepted: 25 February 1998     

Small temporal differences in water uptake among varieties of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) are critical for grain yield under terminal drought

Background and aim

Intuitively, access to water from the soil at key phenological stages is important for adaptation to drought. This study aimed to assess the temporal pattern of water extraction under terminal drought stress.

Methods

Pearl millet genotypes with varying levels of terminal drought tolerance were grown in a lysimetric system with a soil volume and plant spacing similar to field conditions. Water extraction was monitored until maturity under differing water regimes.

Results

The yield did not differ among genotypes under well-watered (WW) conditions, and the water extraction profile of WW plants was similar across all genotypes. In contrast, the yield of sensitive genotypes was 30–100 % lower than that of tolerant lines under water stress (WS). The total volumes of water extracted by tolerant and sensitive genotypes were similar under WS; however, tolerant genotypes extracted less water prior to anthesis, and more water after anthesis. Grain yield was positively related to the amount of water extracted during week three after panicle emergence. Increased water extraction after anthesis benefitted the tillers more than the main culm and was correlated with higher staygreen scores.

Conclusion

Increased water uptake after anthesis, which results from earlier water conservation during pre-anthesis, increases yield under terminal drought in pearl millet.     

Studies in the Physiology of Flowering of Timothy (Phleum pratense L.): IV. Effect of Shoot Age and Nitrogen Level on the Size of the Inflorescence

The main-stem ear lengths of S. 48 timothy plants increasedwith shoot age at the time of flowering, reaching a peak afterthe expansion of 20–25 leaves and then declining again:similar responses were also apparent in subsidiary tillers onthe same plants. In natural conditions, the maximum ear lengthswere attained on shoots originating in autumn and early winterand flowering the following summer; shoots arising later developedprogressively shorter ears. It is suggested that the potentialear length attainable on a shoot is linked with the size ofthe shoot apex built up during vegetative development. In early formed tillers, mainly primary and secondary, a reducednitrogen supply decreased the size of ears by limiting spikedifferentiation. The intensity of the nitrogen effect increasedin later generations of tillers, with the result that the influenceof shoot age on ear length became obscured. The results emphasizedthe importance of the internal relations between tillers inperennial plants, especially with regard to mineral nutrition.     

冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)分蘖冗余生态学意义以及减少冗余对水分利用效率的影响

通过盆栽试验,以旱作冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)为材料,分别在拔节和抽穗期对分蘖进行人工干扰,来模拟不可预测的自然干扰,对冬小麦分蘖冗余的生态学意义以及减少这些冗余对水分利用效率影响进行研究.设置3个处理:从拔节期开始剪去所有小的分蘖,仅保留主茎和一个大的分蘖(A);在拔节期剪去主茎和两个大的分蘖,保留所有小的分蘖(B);在孕穗期剪去主茎和有效分蘖,保留无效分蘖(C).没有被干扰的植物作为对照(CK).通过花期测定叶片的叶绿素含量、叶绿素荧光参数、气孔导度和蒸腾速率等生理指标来评价植物的生理与生化活性.结果显示,在拔节期和抽穗期去除主茎和大蘖后,无效分蘖的生理活性被激活,开始执行有效分蘖的功能.到花期时,这些无效分蘖已经在生理活性上满足了补充和替代有效茎的要求.虽然株高和穗的整齐度、穗数和产量显著下降,但并没有防碍小麦的繁衍子代,因此,正是这些由早期"无效分蘖"补充而来的有效茎,避免了小麦绝种的风险.而在拔节期去除无效分蘖后,对小麦产量没有显著影响,但提高了水分利用效率,和对照相比水分利用效率提高了10%.因此,可以认为小麦在分蘖上存在着对水分利用不利的生长冗余,减少这些冗余有望节约用水、提高作物的水分利用效率.     

Stomatal Responses of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) Genotypes, in Relation to Abscisic Acid and Water Stress

Stomatal responses to water stress and to applied (±)-abscisicacid (ABA) were examined in genotypes of pearl millet (Pennisetumamericanum (L.) Leeke) known to differ in amounts of endogenousABA accumulating during drought. In both a pot and a field experiment,Serere 39, a genotype with a high capacity to accumulate ABA,showed a higher stomatal sensitivity to water stress than didthe ‘low’ ABA accumulator, BJ 104. In the fieldexperiment, a third genotype, B282, accumulating least amountsof ABA, also had the lowest stomatal sensitivity to water stress. There were no significant differences between these genotypesin stomatal response to applied (±)-ABA, or in the relationshipsbetween leaf conductance and levels of endogenous ABA. It isconcluded that the differences in accumulation of endogenousABA by these genotypes of pearl millet are of functional significance,and that endogenous ABA generated during a water stress whichdevelops over days or weeks mediates stomatal responses to suchstress.     

Genotypic Differences in the Temperature Responses of Tropical Crops: II. SEEDLING EMERGENCE AND LEAF GROWTH OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.) AND PEARL MILLET (PENNISETUM TYPHOIDES S. & H.)

Mohamed, H. A., Clark, J. A. and Ong, C. K. 1988. Genotypicdifferences in the temperature responses of tropical crops.II. Seedling emergence and leaf growth of groundnut (Arachishypogaea L.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides S. &H.).—J. exp. Bot. 39: 1129-1135. Measurements of seedling emergence and leaf growth of five milletand seven groundnut genotypes were made at soil temperaturesranging from 7 to 27?C. The rate of seedling emergence (R_e)varied greatly between millet genotypes but R_e was remarkablysimilar in groundnut genotypes. In pearl millet there is a strongcorrelation between the rate of germination and the rate ofleaf production, hourly leaf extension and seedling emergence.The results are discussed in terms of the thermal time requirementsof various processes. Key words: Temperature, emergence, groundnut, millet     

Quantitative trait loci associated with traits determining grain and stover yield in pearl millet under terminal drought-stress conditions

Drought stress during the reproductive stage is one of the most important environmental factors reducing the grain yield and yield stability of pearl millet. A QTL mapping approach has been used in this study to understand the genetic and physiological basis of drought tolerance in pearl millet and to provide a more-targeted approach to improving the drought tolerance and yield of this crop in water-limited environments. The aim was to identify specific genomic regions associated with the enhanced tolerance of pearl millet to drought stress during the flowering and grain-filling stages. Testcrosses of a set of mapping-population progenies, derived from a cross of two inbred pollinators that differed in their response to drought, were evaluated in a range of managed terminal drought-stress environments. A number of genomic regions were associated with drought tolerance in terms of both grain yield and its components. For example, a QTL associated with grain yield per se and for the drought tolerance of grain yield mapped on linkage group 2 and explained up to 23% of the phenotypic variation. Some of these QTLs were common across stress environments whereas others were specific to only a particular stress environment. All the QTLs that contributed to increased drought tolerance did so either through better than average maintenance (compared to non-stress environments) of harvest index, or harvest index and biomass productivity. It is concluded that there is considerable potential for marker-assisted backcross transfer of selected QTLs to the elite parent of the mapping population and for their general use in the improvement of pearl millet productivity in water-limited environments. Received: 15 November 2000 / Accepted: 12 April 2001     

Effect of Water Deficit Stress on Diffusive Resistance, Transpiration, and Spikelet Desiccation of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

To understand the nature of panicle resistance to water loss,diffusive resistance, transpiration rate, and degree of tissuedesiccation were studied as affected by low tissue water potentialsand relative water contents (RWC) induced by water deficit stresses.A drought susceptible cultivar (IR20) and a moderately resistantcultivar (IRAT 13) were compared under moderate and severe waterdeficit stresses under greenhouse conditions. Irrigation waswithdrawn at flowering stage. During the 10-d stress period,changes in panicle and flag leaf transpiration and white headformation (desiccated) were monitored. Using cut panicles transpirationand white head formation at different RWC levels in 11 differentcultivars were also measured. In flag leaves, increased diffusiveresistance and leaf rolling reduced transpirational losses fromthe adaxial surfaces. Leaf resistance and rolling were linearlycorrelated with leaf water potentials. Resistance in paniclesincreased with progress decline in water potentials, but thechange was not as high as in leaves. Among test cultivars, diffusive resistance increased at thelate flowering stage but not at the early stage when panicleswere newly emerged. Increased water losses contributed to severespikelet desiccation and white heads. A few of the upland cultivarstested, such as Kinandang Patong, IRAT 140 and IRAT 13 conservedmore water and showed reduced water-deficit stress symptoms.Copyright1993, 1999 Academic Press Drought tolerance, drought susceptibility, rice panicles     

Water saving traits co-map with a major terminal drought tolerance quantitative trait locus in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

Low transpiration rates in pearl millet under fully irrigated conditions decrease plant water use at vegetative stage and then increase the water availability during grain filling and finally the terminal drought tolerance. Hundred and thirteen recombinant inbred lines developed from a cross between H77/833-2 and PRLT2/89-33 (terminal drought-sensitive?×?tolerant genotype) were evaluated to map transpiration rate (Tr, a proxy for canopy conductance), organ weights, leaf area and thickness and to study their interactions. Transpiration rate was increased by two H77/833-2 and two PRLT2/89-33 alleles on linkage group (LG) 2, whose importance depended on the vapor pressure deficit. The two H77/833-2 and one PRLT2/89-33 alleles co-mapped to a previously identified major terminal drought tolerance quantitative trait locus (QTL), although in a much smaller genetic interval. The other Tr allele from H77/833-2 also enhanced biomass dry weight and co-located with a formerly identified stover and tillering QTL. Leaf characteristics were linked to two loci on LG7. Plant water use was increased and decreased by different loci combinations for Tr, tillering and leaf characteristics, whose respective importance depended on the environmental conditions. Therefore, different alleles influence plant water use and have close interactions with one another and with the environment, so that different ideotypes for plant water use exist or could be designed from specific allele combinations conferring particular physiological characteristics for specific adaptation to a range of terminal drought conditions.     

Growth and Photosynthetic Characteristics in Pearl Millet under Water Stress and Different Potassium Supply

Influence of supra-optimal concentrations of K on growth, water relations, and photosynthetic capacity in pearl millet under severe water deficit conditions was assessed in a glasshouse. Nineteen-days-old plants of two lines, ICMV-94133 and WCA-78, of Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br. were subjected for 30 d to 235.0, 352.5, and 470.0 mg(K) kg^–1(soil) and two water regimes (100 and 30 % field capacity). Increasing K supply did not alleviate the effect of water deficit on the growth of two lines of pearl millet since additional amount of K in the growth medium had no effect on shoot dry mass, relative growth rate, plant leaf area, net assimilation rate, or leaf area ratio, although there was significant effect of drought stress on these variables. Soil moisture had a significant effect on net photosynthetic rate (P _N), transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency of both pearl millet lines, but there was no significant effect of varying K supply on these variables. In WCA-78 an ameliorative effect of increasing supply of K on P _N was observed under water deficit. Chlorophyll (Chl) a and b contents increased significantly in both lines with increase in K supply under well watered conditions, but under water deficit they increased only in ICMV-94133. Chl a/b ratios were reduced significantly in WCA-78 with increasing K supply under both watering regimes, but by contrast, in ICMV-94133 this variable was decreased only under water stress. Leaf water potential and osmotic potential of both lines decreased significantly with the imposition of drought. Leaf pressure potential in both lines increased with increase in K supply under water stress. Contents of total free amino acids in the leaves of both pearl millet lines increased significantly with increase in K supply under water stress. Potassium supply had no effect on leaf soluble sugars or soluble proteins. Considerable osmotic adjustment occurred in pearl millet plants experiencing water deficit under high K supply.     

Restricting the above ground sink corrects the root/shoot ratio and substantially boosts the yield potential per panicle in field‐grown rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice has shallow, weak roots, but it is unknown how much increase in yield potential could be achieved if the root/shoot ratio is corrected. Removing all tillers except the main one, in a japonica (Sakha 101) and an indica (IR64) rice cultivar, instantly increased the root/shoot ratio from 0.21 to 1.16 in Sakha 101 and from 0.16 to 1.46 in IR64. Over 30 days after detillering, the root/shoot ratios of the detillered plants decreased to 0.49 in Sakha 101 and 0.46 in IR64 but remained significantly higher than in the controls. The detillered plants showed two‐ or fourfold increase in the main tiller fresh weight, as a consequence of more positive midday leaf relative water content (RWC), and consistently higher rates of stomatal conductance and photosynthesis, but not transpiration, compared with the controls. The enhanced photosynthesis in Sakha 101 after detillering resulted from both improved water status and higher Rubisco contents whereas in IR64, increasing the Rubisco content did not contribute to improving photosynthesis. Detillering did not increase the carbohydrate contents of leaves but prevented starch depletion at the end of grain filling. The leaf protein content during vegetative and reproductive stages, the grain filling rate, the number of filled grains per panicle were greatly improved, bringing about 38.3 and 35.9% increase in the harvested grain dry weight per panicle in Sakha 101 and IR64, respectively. We provide evidence that improving the root performance by increasing the root/shoot ratio would eliminate the current limitations to photosynthesis and growth in rice.     

Effect of preceding grain legumes on growth and nitrogen uptake of dryland pearl millet

Summary In a dryland cropping systems study preceding crops either of groundnuts, cowpea or pigeon pea were found to increase the early seedling vigour, rate of plant growth and grain production of the subsequent pearl millet. No such benefit was noted from a previous crop of mung. Grown after groundnuts and cowpea the unfertilized pearl millet removed from the soil 39.9 and 32.5 kg N compared to 18.9 kg N per hectare following a pearl millet crop. At harvest the number of viable nodules was the highest in groundnuts and cowpea. Especially in groundnuts the number of viable nodules increased after flowering stage.     

Effects of Drought on Water Relations, Mineral Uptake, Water-soluble Carbohydrate Accumulation and Survival of Two Contrasting Populations of Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.)

The role physiological responses in survival of prolonged soilmoisture deficit was investigated in vegetative plants of twoDactylis glomerata populations: KM2 (drought-resistant) andLutetia (susceptible). The plants were grown in 1 m-deep soilcolumns in a controlled environment. After 56 d of full irrigation,water was withheld for 80 d, by which time all soil moisturehad been consumed; the plants were then rewatered for a further19 d. As drought progressed, leaf extension decreased to zero,water status declined, and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC)at first increased and then decreased. The most pronounced differencesbetween the two populations was that all KM2 tillers survivedthe drought, but 34% of Lutetia tillers died. In comparisonwith Lutetia, KM2 was characterized by (a) slower shoot growthrate, (b) greater root density at depth, (c) maintenance ofhigher lamina relative water content, (d) greater osmotic adjustmentin leaf bases, (e) higher concentration of WSC in tiller bases,(f) greater ability to export WSC out of dying leaves, (g) lowercontent of metal ions but improved maintenance of P status,and (h) lower proline:amino acid ratio. The contribution ofthese responses to tiller survival under severe drought in controlledenvironments is contrasted with performance and persistenceof swards in the field in the harsher Mediterranean environment.Copyright1995, 1999 Academic Press Dactylis glomerata L., cocksfoot, water-stress, osmotic asjustment, drought survival, root-growth, water-soluble carbohydrates, phosphate, proline, variety comparison     

Genotypic Differences in the Temperature Responses of Tropical Crops: I. GERMINATION CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.) AND PEARL MILLET (PENNISETUM TYPHOIDES S. & H.)

Mohamed, H. A., Clark, J. A. and Ong, C. K. 1988. Genotypicdifferences in the temperature responses of tropical crops.I. Germination characteristics of groundnut (Arachis hypogaeaL.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides S. & H.).—J.exp. Bot. 39: 1121–1128. The germination at constant temperature of several genotypesof groundnut and pearl millet was investigated between 0?C and50?C on a thermal gradient plate. Large differences in bothgermination rate and percentage germination were observed inboth species. Base temperatures vary from 8–11.5?C and 8–13.5?Cin groundnut and millet, respectively and optimum temperaturesfrom about 29–36.5?C in both. Maximum temperatures forgermination ranged from 41–47?C. The results are discussedin terms of adaptation to high soil temperature and crop establishmentin the semi-arid tropics. Key words: Temperature, germination, millet, groundnut