Nitrate and total alkaloid concentration of 11 pearl millet lines

Variation in levels of alkaloids and nitrates in leaf blades, stems + sheaths and total herbage of 11 pearl millet cv. was studied on a Darco soil at Overton in 1980. Cv. differed in both total alkaloid and nitrate conc.; although alkaloid levels were relatively low they ranged from 17 to 101 mg/kg and nitrate levels from 2.4 to 9.8 g/kg. Total forage alkaloid and nitrate levels were positively correlated. Leaf blades contained more total alkaloid than stems + sheaths (75 and 17 mg/kg, resp.,) while stems + sheaths contained more nitrate than leaf blades (10.8 and 3.9 g/kg). The possibility of developing lines with low alkaloid and nitrate levels is discussed.ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT:Eleven Pennisetum americanum lines were evaluated in the field. Line differences in total alkaloid and nitrate concentration in the leaf blades and stems plus sheaths were observed. Inbred 383 had the lowest alkaloid (23 mg/kg) and nitrate (2.4 g/kg) concentrations. The contents of the two chemicals were positively correlated