Heterosis for Grain Yield and Its Components in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucumL.)

Twelve pearl millet hybrids were evaluated along with two checks (RHRBH 9808 and AHB 1666) at three locations in a Randomized Block Design, with three replications for identification of superior hybrids based on standard heterosis. The magnitude of standard heterosis varied from cross to cross for all the characters studied. High standard heterosis was observed for number of effective tillers per plant, grain yield per plant, ear head girth and number of grains per cm2; while moderate to low heterosis over standard checks was found for plant height (cm), 1000-grain weight (g), ear head length (cm), total number of tillers per plant, fodder yield per plant (g), days to maturity and days to 50% flowering. The highest positive standard heterosis for grain yield per plant was 70.81%. Heterosis for grain yield might have resulted from heterosis for its component traits, mainly, number effective tiller per plant, ear head girth and number of grains per cm2. The crosses viz., MS 99111 A × AIB 214, MS 88004 A × R 451-1, MS 94111 A × IC 1153, MS 88004 A × PPC 7 and MS 88004 A × AIB 214 were promising on the basis of mean performance and standard heterosis.