Genetic Evaluation of Eleusine coracana L. F3 Families for Grain Zinc, Iron and Yield-related Features

Abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.), also referred to as ragi, is prized for its rich nutritional profile, especially in calcium, iron and zinc, as well as its ability to withstand low-input farming conditions. Comparatively speaking to other millets, despite being consumed globally, its systematic genetic improvement has advanced slowly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and trait heritability of two hybrid crosses, GPU-28 × GE-1746 and GPU-28 × GE-6635, in their third generation (F3). In all, 60 families from the second cross and 97 families from the first cross were assessed in the autumn of 2022. Fe and Zn had a strong positive correlation in GPU-28 × GE-1746 but a negative correlation in GPU-28 × GE-6635, according to correlation analysis. While grain Fe and Zn showed a negative correlation with yield, productive tillers and the number of fingers per ear were positively correlated with grain yield. While the progeny of the cross, GPU-28 × GE-6635, consistently performed well for both yield and nutritional traits, several progenies exceeded the checks for grain micronutrient contents. These results point to promising F3 families for future development, which could result in the creation of high-yielding, biofortified finger millet varieties that are higher in iron and zinc.