Agromophological characterization of some pearl mail (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) populations under GAP conditions

The research was carried out to determine the forage yield and quality characteristics of some pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) populations under GAP conditions, as well as to determine the spike grain yield and some yield-related characteristics of the existing clusters of plants taken during harvest. The research was carried out in the GAP Agricultural Research Institute experiment area (Akçakale/Şanlıurfa) in 2021 under second crop conditions (July-November). 22 pearl millet populations were used as material. The experiment was planted with 2 replications. The harvest were made during the milk-dough period of the grains in the spike. Yield and yield-related traits were investigated in 3 plants taken at the time of harvest for each replication and population. An avarage of flowering days of populations varied between 71.0 and 86.50 days, plant height between 186.0 and 300.83 cm, the number of leaves on the main stem between 7.83 and 16.33 number/stem, the number of fertile stems between 2.83 and 6.50 number/bitki, vegetative stems between 0.0 and 1.66 pnumber/plant, the total number of stems between 3.83 and 7.33number/stem, forage yield between 773.66 and 2335.0 g/plant, dry harbageratio 38-51% and hay yield 338.68 and 1183.51 g/plant; spike length betwen 18.50 and 28.16 cm, spike diameter between15.62 and 26.19 mm, spikegrain weight between 1.63 and 28.23 g, thousand grain weight between 5.67 and 14.10 g and seed germination rate between 92.66 and 100.0%. In addition, the ratio of crudeprotein (HP) varied between 7.81-12.68%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratio between 52.42 and 62.29%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) ratio between 37.86 and 44.98%, digestible dry matter (DDM) ratio between 53.85 and 59.40%, dry matter inteke(DMI) ratio between 1.93 and 2.31%, relative feed value (NYD) between 81.40 and 106.78. The populations 5581, 8155, 8350, 8707 and 8818 in terms of hay yield; 1834, 5581, 8288, 8562 and 9157 in terms of grain yield of spike; 1834, 7860, 8276, 8288, 8562 and 9157 populations in terms of forage quality are the prominent populations and can be evaluated in future breeding studies with these populations. Keywords: Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum(L.) R.Br), population, quality, forageyield, grain