2024, Vol. 9, Special Issue 2

Smut [(Tolyposporium penicillariae) Bref.] is one of the important biotic constraint in obtaining the optimum grain yield of many lines of Pearl millet in northern region of Madhya-Pradesh. Hundred lines of Pearl millet were evaluated under artificial inoculation at research found of college of agriculture, Gwalior during 2021-22 and 2022-23. During 2021-22 two cultivars J-2616 and DHLB 36 B were found completely free from smut, while the maximum smut severity (60.50%) was recorded in IP 17396-4-1-1. In 2022-23 six cultivars viz., TG 4, J-2616, ICMR 11666 and HP-B-502 were found free from smut, while its maximum severity was recorded in IP 17396-4-1-1 (60.00%). On the basis of two years mean data, only one cultivar J-2616 were found absolutely free from smut under artificial inoculation and these two cultivars were significantly superior over most of the tested cultivars except HP-B-502 and DHLB 36 B, while the maximum mean smut severity per cent was recorded in IP 17396-4-1-1 (60.25%).