Gentetic Studies for Heterosis for Grain Yield and Yield Components Using Diverse Male Sterile Lines in Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

Abstract

The line x tester analysis involving ninety hybrids, thirty three parents (three lines and thirty testers) and three checks including national check GHB558, commercial checks Kaveri super boss and 86 M 38 were used to assess the magnitude of heterosis with respect to grain and dry fodder yield and its component traits in pearl millet under rainfed conditions during kharif, 2019 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Vijayapur. Twentysix hybrids exhibited significant positive standard heterosis over check GHB 558, twelve hybrids over check Kaveri super boss and three hybrids over best check 86 M 38 for grain yield per hectare. Whereas, thirteen hybrids over GHB558, none of hybrids over Kaveri super boss and 86 M 38 exhibited significant positive standard heterosis for dry fodder yield per hectare. Two hybrids viz., ICMA 94555 x IP 17465 and ICMA 94555 x IP 14522were superior for both grain and dry fodder yield.

Genetic Divergence for Grain Quality and Agromorphological Traits in Pearl Millet

“…The Ca content, grain yield per plant, dry fodder yield per plant, plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, and grain Mg content accounted for nearly 90% of the variability (Fig. 5), showing the potential for selection of these characteristics in the given experimental material (Kumar et al, 2015;Athoni et al, 2016;Sharma et al, 2020). The little contribution of other traits to genetic divergence may be a result of selection for uniformity in these traits, which may have had an eroding effect on genetic diversity (Govindaraj et al, 2011).…”