Abstract

In this study, a preliminary evaluation of grain iron content in fingermillet using Perls’ Prussian blue reagent, a stain for Fe3+ was established. Prussian blue solution of two per cent concentration was used in identifying grain iron content of genotypes based on the development of blue colour intensity. The rank correlation between measured grain Fe content and the colour intensity score was highly significant and positive (r = 0.62; P<0.01), indicating that higher the Fe content in the grain, more will be the intensity of blue colour developed. Pearls’ Prussian blue method could be effectively used as an initial method of screening and genotypes can be scored for high grain Fe content. The grain Fe content of the same genotypes was quantified using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer method. Wide variation was observed in fingermillet genotypes for grain Fe content. It ranged from 3.46 (TNEc 0921) to 8.72 (TNEc 0601) mg per 100g of grain. The accessions namely TNEc 0308, TNEc 0407, TNEc0601, TNEc 0788 and TNEc 0910 were rich in grain Fe content coupled with high grain yield per plant. Therefore, these accessions could be employed in the genetic improvement of fingermillet through hybridization or selection. This simple staining procedure could be used to screen genotypes with high Fe content in large number of germplasm accessions.

Keywords: Fingermillet, Pearls’ Prussian blue, Grain iron content, Germplasam, Genetic improvement.