évaluation participative de nouvelles lignées de mil (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) sélectionnées pour les régions arides tunisiennes

Participatory varietal selection (PVS) method was used to involve peasants from the beginning of the breeding programme in order to create new varieties of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) higher that would be yielding than the traditional cultivars in the arid regions of Tunisia. Methods of participatory research aim at fostering collaboration between farmers and plant breeders. The farmer is no longer considered as a dumb recipient of technology but as full active partner in research. From 2001 to 2003, nine field tests were undertaken in the arid southeastern zone of the country where pearl millet is the dominant cereal during the summer. Lines tested were obtained from the breeding programme of the local populations of pearl millet conducted in the experimental station of IRA Medenine. These lines were the ones best adapted to local conditions and yielding well in the local environments. Our participatory plant breeding programme involved peasants in order to help identify best lines and create varieties that suit local needs and conditions. In the majority of tests, we identified materials which, mainly, meet the peasants needs who used multiple-selection criteria such as early maturity, desease/pest resistance, drought and salt tolerance, more straw, high yield and superior grain quality. However, none of the tested lines showed earlier maturity better the local cultivars over the two evaluation years. Nevertheless, this participatory evaluation exercise allowed us to acquire new knowledge on selection criteria, and encouraged the working team to further develop and expand this programme.