ADAPTABILITY OF PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum Glaucum (L.)R.Br) VARIETIES IN THE SEMI-ARID KITUI COUNTY OF KENYA

ABSTRACT

Cereals are important crops grown and consumed globally, regionally and locally. However, world cereal yields have declined due to frequent droughts, erratic and unreliable rainfall especially in sub-saharan Africa. Pearl millet accounts for almost half of the global production of the millet species. Therefore, identifying high yielding pearl millet genotypes with farmer preffered traits and adapted to drought stress is key for food security. The objective of the field study was to determine the adaptability of pearl millet varieties for the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Field experiments were carried out in South Eastern Kenya University. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on growth and yield parameters were collected over the three seasons. The data were analyzed statistically and means were compared at 5% level of probability. The results indicated that genotype PVS-PM 1005 recorded significantly (P