Heterosis for grain yield and its attributing traits in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

The present investigation was carried out to study the magnitude of heterosis, heterobeltiosis and economic heterosis in 50 crosses (F1s) of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] by crossing the five females and ten testers in Line X Tester fashion. Observations were recorded on six characters viz., days to 50 per cent flowering, days to maturity, plant height, panicle length, grain yield/plant and stover yield/plant. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes viz., parents, crosses and parents vs crosses for all the characters. The crosses AKMS 27 A x AKR 493 and AKMS 40A x AKR 500 showed high heterosis over mid parent, better parent and economic heterosis for grain yield per plant, stover yield per plant and other component traits. Thus, these crosses can be exploited by conventional breeding procedure.