ABSTRACT

The present investigation was undertaken to study the combining ability and to quantify the magnitude of heterosis on four male sterile lines of pearl millet during summer 2024 at RARS, Vijayapura. ICMA 09999, ICMA 11666, ICMA 01777 and ICMA 01777 were the four female lines used in this study. The results revealed that the magnitude of average heterosis was high for both grain yield and dry fodder yield. Forty six hybrids exhibited significant positive standard heterosis over check GHB 538, twenty nine over GHB 1129, twelve over BRBH 16620, eight over VPMH 7 and Kaveri Super Boss. Whereas, five hybrids were found to be significantly positive over superior check VPMH 14 for grain yield (kg ha-1). Two hybrids viz., ICMA 01777 × ICMR 16666 and ICMA 01777 × ICMR 17222 were found superior for grain yield and dry fodder yield traits.
Combining ability analysis showed that the line ICMB 01777 is significantly better general combiner for most of the characters studied. Pollinators ICMR 08777, ICMR 14222, ICMR 12999 and ICMR 17555 proved their utility for breeding high yielding hybrids. None of the pollinators proved to be good combiners simultaneously for all the traits. Three hybrids viz., ICMA 01777 × ICMR 16666 (4136 kg ha-1), ICMA 01777 × ICMR 14222 (4111 kg ha-1) and ICMA 01777× ICMR 17555 (4012 kg ha-1) were identified as the potential crosses for grain yield and other yield components. The study revealed that specific combining ability variance was higher in magnitude for majority of the traits studied, indicating the existence of non-additive gene action.