Association analysis of SSR markers with phenology, grain, and Stover-yield related traits in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.).

Pearl millet is a staple food crop for millions of people living in the arid and semi-arid tropics. Molecular markers have been used to identify genomic regions linked to traits of interest by conventional QTL mapping and association analysis. Phenotypic recurrent selection is known to increase frequencies of favorable alleles and decrease those unfavorable for the traits under selection.