Combining ability of new male sterile lines of diverse sources in pearl millet for yield and forage components

Abstract

Investigation was carried out to study the combining ability of different (three lines of A1 system and one each from A2, A3, A4, A5, Aegp) cytoplasms of alloplasmic isonuclear lines of Pearl Millet. The analysis of variance for the design of experiment revealed that significant genetic variability was present among crosses for all the characters studied. The estimates of general combining ability effects revealed that lines 81Aegp and 81A4 representing Aegp and A4 cytoplasmic systems combined better for grain yield and most of its contributing traits. The lines of A1 systems viz., 81A1 for plant height and 843A1 for earliness were good general combiners. Testers H77/29-2, INB 526 and INB 427 were top general combiners for grain yield and majority of its component traits. The estimates of sca effects revealed that hybrids 81A4 X INB 526,81A4 X G73-107,81A4 X INB1250,81Aegp X INB 87/74,81Aegp X H77/29-2 and 81Aegp X H90/4-5, were identified as desirable crosses for grain yield and majority of its component traits. They produced significant and desirable sca effects for most of the traits studied, indicating potential for exploiting hybrid vigour using diverse cytoplasm lines in breeding programmes.