Variations in Acha (Digitaria species) grain characteristics

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Date
2018
Authors
Abdul, S.D.
Ogunkanmi, L.A.
Dachi, S.
Onuminya, T.O.
Osundinakin, M.I.
Ajikah, L.A.
Rotimi, O.T.
Iloh, A.C.
Ogundipe, O.T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Genetic Society of Nigeria
Abstract
Ten acha accessions (Digitaria sp.) collected from Kaduna (K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5), Nassarawa (NA1 and NA2) and Niger (NI1, NI2 and NI3) States, in the Northern parts of Nigeria were evaluated for their size (length and width) of corticated and decorticated grains and shape, number of nerves on the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the glumes and variations in seed colour in the Botany Laboratory of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria. The results showed that (K5) had large grain size averaging 1.47 mm and 1.17 mm in length, and 0.79 mm and 0.75 mm in width for corticated and decorticated grains, respectively. Overall for corticated grains K1 had low grain length, averaging 1.03 mm, while NI3 had low grain width averaging 0.57 mm. However, for decorticated grains low average length and width of 0.83 mm and 0.57 mm were recorded on K4 and NA1, respectively. The grains were elliptical to ovate in shape. The number of nerves on the adaxial surface varied widely from 0-5 in all the accessions, except for K5 that consistently had three (3) nerves. Similarly, the number of nerves on the abaxial glumes of the accessions ranged from 3-8, except for K5 that had five (5) nerves. Of all the accessions only the glumes of the grains from the accession K5 had hairs on their surfaces and margins. All the accessions had glume colour that varied from light brown to dark brown, except K5 that had consistently dark brown colour. The decorticated seed colours across the accessions were glassy white to purple, except K5 that showed uniformly glassy white colour.
Description
Staff publications
Keywords
Grain colour , Grain shape , Grain size , Glume , Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES
Citation
bdul, S.D. Ogunkanmi, L.A. Dachi, S. Onuminya, T.O. Osundinakin, M.I. Ajikah, L.A. Rotimi, O.T. Iloh, A.C. & Ogundipe, O.T. (2018). Variations in Acha (Digitaria species) grain characteristics. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Genetic Society of Nigeria; Section One: Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology.Pp 430-437