Combining ability analysis for grain yield and yield components using diverse lines in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br)

Abstract

Five A5 CMS sources (ICMB 09888, ICMB 81A, ICMB 02555, ICMB 02444 and ICMB 07999) were crossed with ten A5 restorer lines in a line × tester fashion to elucidate the information on the combining ability for seed yield and its component traits. A total of fifty crosses were evaluated for ten different quantitative traits. Among the five lines used in the study, ICMB 09888 and ICMB 07999 exhibited significant GCA effects for most of the characters studied and were found to be the good combiners. Likewise, among testers A5RLT 122, A5RLT 112, A5RLT 120, A5RLT 113 and A5RLT 123 were found to be good general combiners for most of the traits under observation. The estimates of variance components revealed predominance of non-additive gene action for most of the characters studied.