IBPGR and ICRISAT. (1993). Descriptors for pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]. International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Rome, Italy; International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Pantacheru, India.
From the ground level to the tip of the spike. At dough stage
Between the 3rd and 4th node from the top. At dough stage
Recorded after thining to avoid the effect of the plant number scored 18 days after emergence
Legend:
Low
Medium
High
At head emergence
Legend:
Erect
Intermediate
Spreading
Total number of culms, including the main stem. At dough stage
number of the spikes which bear seeds at dough stage. Spikes younger than the dough stage are not counted
At dough stage
Legend:
Few
Intermediate
Many
Overall agronomic desirability of accession, At dough stage
Legend:
Poor
Intermediate
Good
At dough stage
Legend:
Low
Intermediate
High
Consider tillering, leafiness, and bulk. At dough stage
Legend:
Poor
Intermediate
Good
At dough stage, See fig 1
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cylinder, spike thickness more or less uniform throughout its length | |
| 2 | Conical, spike thickness maximum at the base, gradually tapering toward the apex | |
| 3 | Spindle, spike thickness maximum in the middle, gradually tapering toward both ends | |
| 4 | Club, maximum thickness of the spike at the apex, gradually tapering toward the base | |
| 5 | Candle, intermediate between cylindrical and conical. About 3/4 the length of the spike is cylindrical, gradually tapering toward the apex | |
| 6 | Dumb-bell, the characterstics spike of the souna type from Mali. Maximum spike thickness is at the base, gradually tapering to 2/3 of the spike and then increasing slightly | |
| 7 | Lanceolate, intermediate between spindle and conical. Maximum spike thickness is near the middle which tapers more towrds apex than base | |
| 8 | Oblanceolate, the opposite of lanceolate, maximum spike thickness is near the middle which tapers more toward the base | |
| 9 | Globose, almost spherical with spike length not more than twice the diameter | |
| 10 | Other | Specify in the descriptor nores 4.5 |
At maturity
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spontaneous shattering | |
| 2 | Shattering at touch | |
| 3 | Non-shattering and free-threshing | |
| 4 | Non-shattering and difficult to thresh |
At dough stage
Legend:
Short Bristles below the level of the apex of the seed
Medium Bristle length between 0 and 2 cm above the seed
Long Bristles longer than 2 cm above the seed
Number of days from field emergence to when 50% of plants flower. Stigma emergenve on the main spike is considered as flowering
In respect of flowering being influenced by length of day
Legend:
Insensitive
Partly sensitive
Highly sensitive
At flowering (see flowering definition 4.2.4)
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short, continous flowering, duration less than 7 days | |
| 2 | Long, continous flowering, duration more than 7 days | |
| 3 | Discontinous flowering, two or more group flowering |
At maturity
Legend:
Nonsynchronous
Intermediate
Synchronous
At harvest (Cytoplasmic male sterillity A-1 type)
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non-restoration | Maintainer |
| 2 | Partial restoration | All plants shed poor pollen |
| 3 | Complete restoration | |
| 4 | Segregating for restoration |
Observed on the primary tiller, at dough stage
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Negative exsertion | |
| 2 | Positive exsertion |
Obsereved on the primary tiller. Recorded as the distance between the ligule of the flag leaf and the base of the spike. At dough stage
At dough stage
Maximum diameter of the spike, excluding bristles. At dough stage
At maturity
Legend:
Loose
Intermediate
Compact
After threshing. RHS colour codes are given in parentheses beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivory | Yellow-white grough 158 A |
| 2 | Cream | Orange-white group 159A |
| 3 | Yellow | Yellow group 8C |
| 4 | Grey | Grey group 201 |
| 5 | Deep grey | Black group 202B |
| 6 | Grey brown | Brown group 200 |
| 7 | Brown | Brown group 200 |
| 8 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
| 9 | Purplish black | |
| 10 | A mixture of white and grey grains | On the same spike |
See fig. 2
Legend:
Exposed
Intermediate
Enclosed
See fig. 3
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obovate | |
| 2 | Oblanceolate | |
| 3 | Elliptical | |
| 4 | Hexagonal | |
| 5 | Globular |
At 12% moisture content
At 12% moisture content of 1000 seeds
of 1000 seeds determined using alcohol
Legend:
Mostly corneous
Partly corenous
Mostly starchy
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Absent | |
| + | Present |
Consider the spike number, size and density. seed number and size compared with standard control
Legend:
Low
Intermediate
High
From ligule tp the tip of the leaf on the 4th node below the head on the main tiller. At the head emergence
At the widest point of the leaf on the 4th node of the main tiller. At head emergence
At head emergence
Legend:
Erect
Intermediate
Pendant
At head emergence, RHS colour d=codes are given in parentheses beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Light green | Yellow-green group 146A |
| 2 | Green | Yellow-green group 147A |
| 3 | Dark green | Green group 137A)Yellow (yellow group 9B |
| 4 | Yellow | Yellow group 9B |
| 5 | Red (gryed-red group 181A | |
| 6 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
| 7 | Variegated |
From node to base of the ligule of the leaf on the 4th node below the head of the main stem. At head emergence
At dough stage, RHS colour codes are given in parenthese beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | Yellow-green group 147A |
| 2 | Red | Greyed-red group 181A |
| 3 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
| 4 | Variegated |
At dough stage, RHS colour codes are given in parenthese beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | Yellow-green group 147A |
| 2 | Red | Greyed-red group 181A |
| 3 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
| 4 | Variegated |
At head emergence
Legend:
Glabrous
Sparsely hairy
Densely hairy
At maturity
Legend:
Slow
Intermediate
Fast
Distance between two successive 3rd and 5th leaf blades, ligule to ligule, divided by two. At dough stage
On primary tiller. At dough stage
Distance between 3rd and 4th nodes. At harvest
At dough stage
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Absent | |
| + | Present |
At dough stage
Legend:
Insipid
Intermediate
Sweet
At dough stage
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | |
| 2 | Red | |
| 3 | Purple | |
| 4 | Brown |
At dough stage
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | |
| 2 | Red | |
| 3 | Purple | |
| 4 | Brown | |
| 5 | White |
At flowering
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Absent | |
| + | Present |
At flowering
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Absent | |
| + | Present |
At rachis mid-point
Legend:
Sparse
Intermediate
Dense
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Covered | |
| 2 | Exposed |
at mid-point of the rachis
Average number recorded at the middle of the spike
At dough stage. RHS colour codes are given in parentheses beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | Yellow-green group 147A |
| 2 | Tan tips | |
| 3 | Light red | |
| 4 | Red | Greyed-red group 181A |
| 5 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
See fig.4
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scabrous | Rough |
| 2 | Ciliate | With fine hairs |
| 3 | Plumose | Feathery |
See fig.5
Legend:
Short
Intermediate
Long
See fig.6
Legend:
Sparse
Intermediate
Dense
At dough stage. RHS colour codes are given in parentheses beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Light green | Yellow-green group 146A |
| 2 | Tips red | |
| 3 | Red | Greyed-red group 181A |
| 4 | Tips purple | |
| 5 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
Before anther dehiscence. RHS colour codes are given on parentheses beside the descriptor states
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | Yellow-green group 147A |
| 2 | Cream yellow | |
| 3 | Yellow | Yellow-group 9B |
| 4 | Brown | Brown group 200 |
| 5 | Purple | Purple group 79B |
At flowering
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Absent | |
| + | Present |
Number and types of florets per spikelet at the mid-point of the rachis. (With dissection of the florets) At stigma emergence
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One floret-perfect | |
| 2 | Two florets-one perfect | |
| 3 | Two florets-one perfect and one male | |
| 4 | Two florets-two perfecr | |
| 5 | More than two perfect florets |
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non-mucronate | |
| 2 | Mucroonate |
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smooth | |
| 2 | Wrinkled |