ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC VARIABILITY AMONG FINGER MILLET GENOTYPES FOR BLAST DISEASE TOLERANCE UNDER BASTAR PLATEAU CONDITIONS OF CHHATTISGARH INDIA

Finger millet is an important kharif minor millet crop in Chhattisgarh and is widely consumed as a staple food among the tribal communities. Magnaporthe grisea is a fungal pathogen that causes leaf, neck, and finger blast diseases in finger millet, resulting in severe yield losses. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and develop finger millet varieties resistant to blast disease. In this context, the present study was undertaken with the objective of screening and identifying finger millet genotypes that exhibit resistance against blast disease. Evaluation of Eleven Advanced Varietal Trial (AVT) and twenty-five Initial Varietal Trial (IVT) genotypes of finger millet for their reaction to blast disease under natural field conditions during Kharif 2024. The results revealed that the Advanced Varietal Trial (AVT) genotypes exhibited leaf blast scores ranging from 1.87 to 2.80 (grade G), neck blast incidence from 9.70 to 24.19%, and finger blast incidence from 4.99 to 18.82%. All AVT entries showed moderate resistance to neck blast, while the genotype VL 402 was found resistant to finger blast. Similarly, the Initial Varietal Trial (IVT) genotypes showed leaf blast scores ranging from 1.53 to 4.20 (grade G), neck blast incidence from 9.42 to 28.59%, and finger blast incidence from 4.34 to 22.56%. Among these, the genotypes WN 593, TNEC 1349, IIMR FMR-23-3022, IIMR FMR-23-3016, and CMFV 2 exhibited resistance to neck blast, while RPCAU-FM 17, VR 1212, BR (Bastar Ragi)-16-28, KIFMG-22-13, IIMR FMR-23-3022, TNEC 1310, OEB 612, and IIMR FMR-23-3022 were found resistant to finger blast.