Genetic analysis of forage yield and related traits in pearl millet

Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is one of the most important crops in arid and semi-arid regions that is cultivated for grain and forage. Due to cross pollination and high heterosis, selection of parents based on combining ability is one of the most important steps in pearl millet breeding programs. To study the general combining ability (GCA) of pearl millet lines, a set of 10 lines were crossed in polycross nursery and the resulting half-sib families (HS) along with a check variety were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The studued traits included days to flowering, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of tillers, fresh forage yield and dry matter. The results of analysis of variance and comparison of means showed that there was considerable genetic diversity for the studied traits. Estimated heritability ranged from 53.86% for dry forage yield to 99.23% for number of tillers. These results showed that additive variance had a significant role in controlling the studied traits in this population and therefore it can be used in breeding programs. Combining ability showed that line 2 for days to flowering, plant height and number of leaves, line 3 for stem diameter, lines 4, 7 and 8 for number of tillers and line 7 for fresh forage and dry matter yield were the best general combiner and could be used as the parents of crosses to improve the studied population.