Assessment of sorghum landraces for combining ability

Two lines and ten landraces were crossed in line × tester system and the resultant twenty hybrids and parents were evaluated. Estimates of variances indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action in the inheritance of all the characters except number of primaries panicle−1. Among the lines, 117A was a good general combiner for panicle mass and grain yield while among the testers, PU 28 was combining well for most of the characters viz., plant height, panicle mass, panicle length, panicle width and grain yield, followed by PU 16 for number of primaries panicle−1 and grain yield. PU 11 was a good combiner for test weight. These genotypes may be best utilized in heterosis and pedigree breeding programmes.