Combining ability analysis for yields and it's components in pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Combining ability analysis for yield and its component traits was undertaken with 6 males sterile line and 10 testers using line x tester analysis. Observation were taken for eleven characters viz. days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of tillers & total effective tillers per plant, 1000 grain weight, number of grains per cm2, ear head girth, ear head length, grain yield per plant and fodder yield per plant. The variance due to males were significant for plant height, number of grains/cm2, ear head length, grain yield/plant and fodder yield/plant. The female variances were significant for all the characters except days to 50% flowering, number of effective tillers/plant and ear head length whereas variance due to crosses were significant for all the characters except 1000 grains weight and number of grains/cm2. These results indicated the presence of substantial variability in the selected materials for study. The estimated components of variance for specific combining ability (SCA) effects were larger in magnitude than the general combining ability (GCA) effects for all the characters, indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene action for these characters. The estimates of GCA effects showed that the parents 418 R and 1358 R were good combiner for all the traits studied except number of grains/cm2 and fodder yield/plant, respectively. The hybrids MS-88004 A x 418 R and MS-863 A x 260 R were found superior with high SCA effects for seven important traits including grain yield as well as fodder yield per plant. Whereas, the crosses namely; MS-98222 A x 1358 R, MS-841 A x UCC-23 R, MS-841 A x 1404 R and MS-94555 A x 268 R registered higher SCA effects for the six important economic traits, including grain yield per plant. These crosses were identified as superior and can be effectively utilized for hybrid breeding programme.