Approaches for Understanding Mechanism of Pathogen Resistance in Pearl Millet

Disease resistance breeding has always been the top priority of pearl millet crop breeding programs, where identified sources of resistance have been strategically used to develop disease-resistant hybrids for cultivation on farmers’ fields. Understanding of mechanisms of disease resistance helps in the selection of diverse sources for transferring different genes in the breeding lines. Prior information on the inheritance pattern of genes for disease resistance in a host genotype is critical for crop improvement. There are several reports on the inheritance of resistance in pearl millet against major diseases like downy mildew (DM), blast, rust, smut, and ergot. A number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring pathotype-specific resistance to DM have been identified and used to improve the parental lines of pearl millet. Information on the biochemical basis of disease resistance and differentially expressed genes in host × pathogen interactions of pearl millet has been generated. Pollination-induced resistance has also been found effective in pearl millet for the management of smut and ergot diseases.