Genetic Diversity Analysis and QTL Mapping in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) using Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT)

It is concluded that the present study is the second report of the use of DArT technology in pearl millet and DArT markers were mapped for the first time in this species. The study has been proved to be useful for diversity assessment of inbred lines and for rapid development of reasonably-well saturated genetic linkage maps of RIL populations that can be used for precise and fine QTL mapping. It is anticipated that this DArT array will also prove useful for background genotyping in marker-assisted backcrossing programs to speed up recovery of elite recurrent parent genetic background on genomic regions outside that targeted for introgression of donor parent alleles. The rust resistance locus identified on LG 1 is a novel report and will be useful for providing a framework for marker-assisted selection and cloning of resistance genes