Inheritance of chinch bug resistance in grain pearl millet

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a promisingalternative feed grain for southeastern US cropproductions systems because of its ability to reliablyproduce grain under drought conditions on sandy, acidicand low fertility soils. Chinch bug [Blissus leucopterusleucopterus (Say) (Heteroptera: Blissidae)] infestationwas very high under the drought conditions in southernGeorgia in 2006 and 2007 when 37 elite inbred breedinglines and 145 hybrids were screened for chinch bugresistance. The objective of this research was todetermine if chinch bug resistance existed in current eliteinbred parental materials, and if so, what level ofinheritance was demonstrated for this trait. In September2006, 37 inbred lines replicated six times were assessedfor resistance under heavy natural chinch bug infestation.In 2007, 145 F1 hybrid progenies, replicated three timeswere assessed twice (July 16 and 30) under heavy naturalchinch bug infestation. Plots were scored 0 (no damage)to 4 (dead) for insect damage. The damage rating rangedfrom 1.0 to 2.86 in inbred lines and from 1.0 to 3.3 inhybrids. Seven of the 37 inbred lines and 8 of the 145hybrids were identified as chinch bug resistant, whileseven of the 37 inbred lines and four of the 145 hybridswere identified as the most susceptible to chinch buginfestation. Observed inheritance (hn 2) for this populationwas 0.69 with P <0.001.