STUDIES ON VARIABILITY AND CHARACTER ASSOCIATION IN FORAGE PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum americanum (L.) R. Br.) HYBRIDS

The present study was conducted during Kharif 2012 with forty two top cross hybrids developed in pearl millet during Kharif 2011 at Forage Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Green fodder yield being an important economic but complex trait in pearl millet, the need was felt to gain new knowledge of exploring techniques/methods to cause significant improvement in it. Therefore, the pearl millet top cross hybrids were analysed for genetic variability, correlation and path coefficients. Most of the traits had high mean values. High heritability along with high genetic advance was recorded for leaf stem ratio, dry matter yield and green fodder yield. High estimates of GCV and PCV were observed for plant height, number of tillers/plant and leaf stem ratio, suggesting that selection based on these characters would facilitate successful isolation of desirable types. Traits like plant height, leaf length and dry matter yield had positive and significant correlation at genotypic as well as phenotypic level with green fodder yield and the selection based on these traits will result in improving the green fodder yield in pearl millet. Traits like plant height and dry matter yield showed high direct effect on green fodder yield. Thus selection for taller plants with longer leaves will be significant for the improvement of green fodder yield in the material under study.