Combining ability studies in sorghum

A line x tester set of 3 Fl's alongwith parents (involving three male sterile lines and 10 restorers) was raised to estimate combining ability. The results indicated the importance of additive gene effects in the inheritance of Panicle breadth, 1000 grain weight and grain yield per plant, while plant height, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, leaves/plant and panicle length was found to be predominantly under the control of nonadditive gene effects. In general, the female parents 116A and 104A and the male parents SPV-492, RS-67, GSS-2 and CSV-14-R were found to be the good combiners. The crosses involving these parents generally exhibited significant sea effects.