LMV-513: Breeding Innovations for Pest and Disease Resilience in Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense L.)
Nagappa Govanakoppa
Fodder Research and Production Unit, UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.
Anitha, S.
UAS, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Jagadeesh, B. R.
UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.
Jakir Hussain, K. N. *
UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The breeding innovations for LMV-513 in little millet (Panicum sumatrense L.) focus on enhancing resilience to pests and diseases, crucial for stable yields and reducing dependency on chemical inputs. This resilient variety supports sustainable agriculture by maintaining crop health in adverse conditions, aligning with the goals of ecological and resource-efficient farming practices. Little millet is developed and evaluated between 2013 and 2021, the shoot fly-resistant little millet variety LMV-513 was evaluated from 2013 to 2014 and officially released and notified in 2021, proving to be a high-yielding and medium-maturing cultivar. This variety, created at the MARS, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, is specifically recommended for cultivation in Karnataka, maturing in 85-90 days and exhibiting an erect plant type with a height of 123-130 cm. Its grains are bold, oval-shaped, and gray in color. Similarly, DHLM-28-4/LMV-513 demonstrated impressive performance, with grain and fodder yields of 17.14 q/ha and 6.5 t/ha, respectively, while maintaining a tolerance to shoot fly at 19.42%. This variety recorded grain yields that surpassed the national checks OLM-203 and JK-8 by 9.59% and 11.21%, respectively. The study emphasizes the superior yield potential and adaptability of both DHLM-36-3 and DHLM-28-4/LMV-513 across diverse agro-climatic conditions in India. Specifically, DHLM-36-3 achieved an impressive mean seed yield of 37.99 q/ha, exceeding local and national checks by 21.56% and 15.75%, respectively. Meanwhile, DHLM-28-4/LMV-513 consistently outperformed the national check OLM-203 by 11.95%. Both varieties demonstrated strong resistance to key diseases and pests, including grain smut, brown spot, leaf blight, and shoot fly, making them reliable choices for farmers. Additionally, DHLM-28-4/LMV-513 exhibited enhanced nutritional qualities, particularly in zinc, iron, calcium, and protein content. Its favorable morphological traits, such as early maturity and robust growth characteristics, further bolster its appeal. DNA fingerprinting analysis revealed significant genetic diversity among the evaluated varieties, enhancing their suitability for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs. Overall, these findings highlight the vital contributions of these cultivars to sustainable agricultural practices, food security, and public health, positioning DHLM-28-4/LMV-513 as a promising candidate for wider adoption in millet cultivation.
Keywords: LMV-513, shoot fly-resistant, DNA fingerprinting, millet cultivation