Abstract

Investigations were carried out to estimate the extent of heterosis and combining ability in two sets consisting of eight non restorers viz., ICMS 81 B. L 111 B, J 126D2B, Tift 23D2B, Tift 239 D2B, MS 51418, PT 248/5B and PT 732/2B and eight restorers viz. PT 1824, PT 1921, PT 2584, PT 2598, PT 2784, PT 3095, K-560 and J 104 in pearl millet. Diallel crosses without reciprocals were effected in each set seperately. Most of the hybrid combinations exhibited significant heterosis for majority of the characters in both the sets. In grain yield, the hybrids L 1118 x J 126D2B and K 560 x PT 1824 exhibited the highest significant heterosis of 97.45 percent and 52.56 percent over the better parents in set I and II respectively. In combining ability studies, the variances due to genotypes and the hybrids were significant for all the characters in set I, while in set II, the variances due to hybrids were not significant in respect of panicle width and leaf width. For grain yield, the ratio of general combining ability to specific combining ability was 0.28: 1 in set 1, while in set II the ratio was 0.34: 1.

Keywords: Pearl Mellet, Heterosis, Combining ability