Selection of Suitable Pearl Millet Hybrids for Arid and Semi-Arid Conditions through Combining Ability Analysis

Present investigation was carried out to study combining ability effects for grain yield and its component traits in 77 hybrids of pearl millet. From the results of GCA effects, it was revealed that a number of parents namely, ICMA 98222, ICMA 93333, ICMA 30199, ICMA 30201 (female parents), and BIB 481-500, BIB 561-570 and BIB 571-581 (male parents) were found to be good general combiner for grain yield and most of its component characters. On the basis of GCA effects, lines ICMA 98222, ICMA 88004, ICMA 93333, ICMA 30199, ICMA 30201 and testes BIB 571-580, BIB 561- 570, BIB 511- 520, BIB 481- 500, BIB 531- 540 were good general combiner for more than nine yield contributing characters. The SCA effects of the crosses namely, ICMA 97111 x BIB 561- 570, ICMA 98222 x BIB 481- 500, ICMA 88004 x BIB 501- 510 and ICMA 93333 x BIB 551-560 were significant and were identified as superior for seed yield and related traits over the environments. Therefore, these parents and hybrids were recommended for utilization in development of promising populations as well as hybrid development.