Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) is a nutrient-dense, relatively drought-tolerant cereal crop cultivated in dry regions worldwide. The crop is under-researched, and its grain yield is low (< 0.8 tons ha⁻¹) and stagnant in the major production regions, including Burkina Faso. The low productivity of pearl millet is mainly attributable to a lack of improved varieties, Striga hermonthica [Sh] infestation, downy mildew infection, and recurrent heat and drought stress. Developing high-yielding and Striga-resistant pearl millet varieties that satisfy the farmers’ and market needs requires the identification of yield-promoting genes linked to economic traits to facilitate marker-assisted selection and gene pyramiding. The objective of this study was to undertake genome-wide association analyses of agronomic traits and Sh resistance among 150 pearl millet genotypes to identify genetic markers for marker-assisted breeding and trait introgression. The pearl millet genotypes were phenotyped in Sh hotspot fields and screen house conditions. Twenty-nine million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) initially generated from 345 pearl millet genotypes were filtered, and 256 K SNPs were selected and used in the present study. Phenotypic data were collected on days to flowering, plant height, number of tillers, panicle length, panicle weight, thousand-grain weight, grain weight, number of emerged Striga and area under the Striga number progress curve (ASNPC). Agronomic and Sh parameters were subjected to combined analysis of variance, while genome-wide association analysis was performed on phenotypic and SNPs data. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were detected among the assessed pearl millet genotypes for Sh parameters and agronomic traits. Further, there were significant genotype by Sh interaction for the number of Sh and ASNPC. Twenty-eight SNPs were significantly associated with a low number of emerged Sh located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Four SNPs were associated with days-to-50%-flowering on chromosomes 3, 5, 6, and 7, while five were associated with panicle length on chromosomes 2, 3, and 4. Seven SNPs were linked to thousand-grain weight on chromosomes 2, 3, and 6. The putative SNP markers associated with a low number of emerged Sh and agronomic traits in the assessed genotypes are valuable genomic resources for accelerated breeding and variety deployment of pearl millet with Sh resistance and farmer- and market-preferred agronomic traits.

Striga hermonthica [Del.] Benth. (Sh) is a noxious parasitic weed causing substantial yield loss in sub-Saharan Africa’s pearl millet. The objective of this study was to determine the gene action and inheritance of Sh resistance in newly developed pearl millet populations to guide selection and genetic advancement. Bi-parental crosses were derived from pairs of pearl millet lines by contrasting reactions to Striga infestations. The two sets of parental lines, F₁s, F₂s, and backcrosses, were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on the number of Striga counted at 60 and 80 days after planting were collected. The analysis of the variance showed significant (P < 0.001) differences among the generations across sets for Sh parameters. Duplicate gene action controlled the inheritance of the number of emerged Sh. Unique F₂ individuals with Sh resistance were selected from the two sets for genetic advancement through recurrent selection methods for pearl millet variety development by integrating desirable agronomic and farmer-preferred traits.

Pearl millet is primarily grown under rainfed conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Early droughts are prevalent in the Sahel region, where pearl millet is widely cultivated, and they severely impact pearl millet growth and productivity by affecting plant stand and reducing plant density in the field. Consequently, genetic improvement for early drought tolerance is a promising strategy to enhance productivity in these regions. This study aims to identify pearl millet lines that are tolerant to water stress at the seedling stage by assessing various water-stress-tolerance traits. Two hundred pearl millet inbred lines were screened for drought tolerance by inducing water stress with polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) in the laboratory. The experiment was repeated in the greenhouse using pot screening. The experimental design was an alpha lattice with 10 entries × 20 blocks in two replications. Four treatments (0 g/L, 115 g/L, 235 g/L, 289 g/L) were applied in the laboratory: one control and three concentrations of PEG 6000. Control and stress were applied in the greenhouse. Data were collected on germination rate and growth parameters, including root and seedling length, leaf length and width, and chlorophyll content. Results revealed significant differences among the pearl millet inbred lines under both drought and well-watered conditions. The inbred lines IP-16403 and IP-18062 were the most tolerant in both the greenhouse and laboratory. Water stress significantly reduced plant growth, although an increase in root length was observed in some lines. The number of days to 50% emergence was positively and strongly correlated with survival time (+0.45), while leaf width was negatively correlated with survival time (−0.29) and water stress tolerance (−0.37). The drought-tolerant and drought-susceptible pearl millet inbred lines identified in this study provide valuable genetic resources for enhancing pearl millet productivity in arid and semi-arid environments, especially in the face of unpredictable climate variability.